Forging An Empire: Part 1 - Unification of Thessia
by Kudara
Summary: The Prothean Archive on Thessia activates under it's failsafe programming. The Prothean's have not returned to Thessia; the Empire's last desperate plan, sending millions of Protheans into cryogenic sleep has failed. The VI's programming directs it to contact the descendants of the 'Followers of Athame' and continue the uplift project begun 10,000 years earlier.
1. Chapter 1: Intro and Timeline

Disclaimer: The Mass Effect universe is the property of Bioware/Electronic Arts. No infringement of these copyrights is intended as this is a not for profit fan fiction work.

Summary: This is an Asari Empire Mirror Verse story originally written for the Mass Effect kinkmeme written in multiple parts.

In the Asari Empire Mirror Verse, instead of leaving a beacon whose VI fruitlessly waits for the Protheans to return to Thessia, the Protheans leave an entire archive and VI with failsafe planning to activate and guide the Asari to forge their own Empire and lead the younger races against the Reapers in the next cycle.

Notes:

Series is currently planned out for four or five parts as follows:

Part One: Unification of Thessia

Part Two: Forging of the Asari Empire

Part Three: First Contact - Humanity

Part Four: The Great Darkness

Part Five: Post-Reformation Asari Empire

Authors Credits: First I'd like to thank all of the various Mirrorverse Asari Empire A!A's (Anonymous Authors) for their stories which in turn inspired this one. "Salvation" and "The Human Rebellions" especially were both inspiration for the detailed setting of this story. Second I would like to thank PMC65 for her work in fleshing out Asari culture in "A Thessian's Whisper" and "Shepardess and the Questing Beast". Third I like to thank LogicalPremise for his "Encyclopedia Biotica" and "A season of sorrows unending - Cerberus Files", and especially for making both public use for other authors as well as his OSABC "Of Sheep and Battle Chicken" Series in general. You will be seeing biotic abilities and items like the warp sword from "Encyclopedia Biotica" in this story and a few ideas especially about the Turians and Batarians from "A season of sorrows unending". I'd like to thank LuckyFK from DeviantArt and his Commando Saris series of drawings - they were the inspiration for the tall, muscular asari of the Serrice Saris Lineage who will show up throughout the story. His drawings in general are inspiration for asari of all shapes, sizes and personalities. Also I'd like to thank Euderion for his work on Asari ships and ship classes, and agreeing to let me reference them in this work. You can find the work of both artists on DeviantArt.

Revision History: 03/07/2015; 03/12/2015; 01/27/2016

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 **Story Background:**

Yes, this is the second version of the intro after I began trying to figure out my timeline for the various first contact scenarios and realized something - clearly Bioware added the idea of a Prothean intervention on Thessia and the beacon after they developed their timeline for ME1. Why? From the first development of agriculture to FTL Humans took around ~14,000 years; Turians took around ~17,000 years, by canon the Asari who are supposed to have the advantage of the beacon to help them advance take over 40K years...err right. That was some uplift alright when you take well over twice as long as everyone else. If they really were uplifted, I'd expect the Asari to have been in space and colonizing planets 25,000 - 30,000 years before every other species, even the Salarians.

This presents something of a problem unless I want to write the Asari uplifting all the other species from their stone ages - which I don't really, that seems rather boring. So I need to either come up with a way of slowing the Asari or speeding up the other races...and I'm going to keep it simple and just speed up the other races and cut out around 25,000 years of what amounted to the Asari dragging their feet while waiting around for everyone else to show up for the story to begin.

So the short of it? Look at the canon time line and subtract 25000 years at the very beginning - thus the Protheans get wiped out by the Reapers not in 48,000 BCE but in 23,000 BCE. Turians will still begin developing a recognizable civilization in 13,000 BCE only now that will occur only 10,000 years after the Protheans are wiped out. None of this will actually have much of an effect on the story, except that the Asari will only get a 10,000 year head start over everyone else to keep things interesting for them and will have various road blocks put in their way to slow them down a bit further. Do not expect events approaching the Common Era to happen as they happened in canon due to the Asari developing FTL in a more reasonable time scale i.e. around 10,000 years instead of 40,000.

 **Story Introduction:**

Now other than completely changing the timeline and history – I want to develop an Asari Empire while keeping the Asari the same as canon in relation to their culture and biology. Their Matriarch will have mastered the long view and practiced the deft manipulation of events over the course of centuries. Their Huntresses and Commandos will be the most lethal and dangerous warriors in the galaxy as befitting their centuries of training. Maidens, Matrons and Matriarchs will view their sensuality as both an art and weapon at their skilled disposal, and laugh in dismissal at other races who think the Asari should bow to another race's mores and morals over their own.

While all of the previous, the Asari will also be all of the following: they will value cooperation over competition, both politically and personally; their actions and decisions, while they may be manipulative, will trend toward outcomes that are nurturing instead of exploitative; and the majority of them will tend to be kind toward others rather than cruel.

As per canon, the Asari will be able to alter their pheromones to attract and arouse any species and any gender. This is a long term effect in that any species around an asari for an extended period will tend to find them sexually attractive. Multiple asari within an enclosed space will of course amplify this effect. The non-canon addition is that the Asari will also be able to use their pheromones to sooth and calm rather than arouse; they naturally do this with each other - especially their children, but with some training in biofeedback can do this with other races as well.

In this Mirrorverse, Asari will be about the same size and height as male humans with an average height of right around six feet. Some Asari Huntresses and Commandos will be tall and willowy, while some will be tall and quite muscular; they will certainly not all be the same as if cut from the same cookie cutter mold like they were in game. All Asari will be very unisex in habits and personality, possessing both 'male' and 'female' characteristics. This will allow various humans, both male and female, to find different asari attractive for various reasons - some will seem more 'masculine' and some more 'feminine' to humans.

The Asari will have noble and commoner classes, and will have an almost fanatical sense of 'noblesse oblige' toward those that they subjugate and especially toward those races and/or individuals which accept their subjugation and display devotion and loyalty in return to their Asari superiors. The Asari will share a devotion to the concept of duty for the common good with the Turians. For those asari who fall far short of Asari cultural ideas and norms, who abuse and exploit instead of nurture and protect those under them - the Justicars are always ready to mete out their deadly judgment on such individuals no matter their rank or station in the Empire.

 **Story Timeline**

 **23,000 BCE** Reapers arrive though the Citadel Relay and begin attacking the Prothean Empire.

 **22,900 BCE** Approximately a century after the initial attack, the Protheans begin to examine the possibility of uplifting very primitive species such as the Turians, Asari and Humans. The decision is made to move forward with the uplift of the Asari even though they are very primitive. The Asari at this stage of their development are just beginning the Earth equivalent of their Late Paleolithic Age (approximately 30,000 years ago) with their population centered in a predictable dispersal pattern around what will become known as the Ceripian Ocean.

The Asari's relatively small population and limited geographical dispersion allows the uplift team to use modified scouting probes to disperse a genetically engineered virus which inserts genetic code into the Asari's genome so that all Asari will be biotics in the future. One side effect of this genetic change is the introduction of an increased risk of undesirable mutations such as the Ardak-Yakshi into the population. Meanwhile the uplift team begins teaching the Asari of the largest settlement around the Ceripian Ocean, named Serrice, the foundations of writing and mathematics alongside more practical skills such as metalworking, navigation, and the basics of astronomy lifting those they are teaching from the equivalent of the early Stone Age into the early Bronze Age.

 **22,880 BCE** After a several decades it becomes apparent that the uplift of the Asari will not be completed before the Reapers finish the extermination of the Prothean Empire. The decision is made for the uplift team, led by Xanabr Ythos, to leave Thessia but not before building a hidden underground archive to either assist the Protheans put into deep sleep in finishing the uplift of the Asari or if that does not occur then after a period of time assist the Asari in uplifting themselves to lead the next cycle against the Reapers. Xanabr Ythos, convinced that the Reapers will find all of the bunkers, secretly builds a shrine in the mountains and inserts hidden code into the Archive to guide the Asari away from the self-serving ways that the Protheans fell into in their arrogance.

 **22,700 – 13,000 BCE** Without the Prothean uplift team to guide them, the Followers of Athame entrench themselves in and around Serrice seeking to preserve the teachings of the Goddess Athame. Only after a few generations do the families of the Followers begin spreading out and founding new city-states, the first is Armali founded by the descendants of Pania T'Soni, second is the city state of Ulee and then the city-state of Cybean. Over the course of time technology in these cities progresses from Bronze Age to Iron Age and finally into the equivalent of early Middle Ages technology. Outside of the area surrounding the Ceripian Ocean and the exchange of more advanced technology primarily from Serrice, most of the Asari still exist as primitive Stone Age tribes.

 **13,000 BCE** With no further contact by the Protheans, the Archive they left behind finally activates in failsafe mode and contacts the Asari to begin uplifting themselves without Prothean aid. The VI based upon Xanabr Ythos instructs the asari High Priestesses of the Great Temple of Athame in Serrice to begin by unifying Thessia under one governmental structure dedicated to what will become known as Athame's Prophecy for the Asari. To assist with this effort, the VI reveals the location of the shrine built by Xanabr Ythos.

Also at this time, elsewhere in the galaxy on Palven, the Turians begin to develop their first civilization.


	2. Chapter 2: Oracle's Awakening

Disclaimer: The Mass Effect universe is the property of Bioware/Electronic Arts. No infringement of these copyrights is intended as this is a not for profit fan fiction work.

Revision History: 03/07/2015

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Oracle's Awakening:

"High Priestess!" the throwing open of her office door and hurried entry of the Temple's Guard Captain startled Matriarch Oressia. The dusky blue hued matriarch stood, sending her chair backward with the abruptness of her movement to topple onto the floor behind her as she stared at the rapidly breathing Huntress in disbelief that this particular matron, normally almost painfully polite and respectful toward all, would enter her office in such a manner.

The Huntress came to a halt, opened her mouth as if to speak and then stopped, whirling around to look at the open doorway behind her. Lurching in an uncharacteristically graceless movement the matron quickly shut the door behind her before whirling about once again to face the matriarch. "The Oracle," the Huntress matron paused to gasp for breath, her eyes so wide as she stared at Matriarch Oressia that the whites showed all around her deep blue iris, "it has finally awoken!"

The matron's actions and subsequent words caught the High Priestess so off-guard that it actually took her a few seconds to process them - the Oracle - the Oracle of Athame - the Goddess's Oracle - it was awake. Oressia drew in a sharp, startled breath; it had been so long…so long that her predecessor and she had privately began to despair that the Oracle would ever awaken as their Goddess had promised them it would so long ago. Over twenty faithful generations of High Priestesses had served the Temple since the Goddess Athame had left the Asari to return to the heavens. The Goddess had never returned, but she had left behind the hidden Oracle and her promise of its continued guidance…her continued guidance for the Asari. Now - finally - their fervent prayers for that guidance had been answered. "Inform the other senior Priestesses," Oressia found her voice, "tell them to make their way as quickly and quietly as possible to the Oracle's cavern."

"It shall be done as you command High Priestess," the Captain of the Temple's Guard collected herself enough to raise her fist to her chest and properly bow to the matriarch before departing.

The High Priestess stared after the matron's retreating form for a few seconds as she pondered the unexpected, but welcome, turn of events. The Goddess Athame had commanded her followers to keep her Oracle hidden from all but the most devout after her departure to the heavens. They had done as the Goddess commanded, keeping silent about the presence of the holy Oracle in the caverns below the sacred Amphitheater where the Goddess had shared her wisdom with her followers. They had kept silent even as the centuries passed and the followers of Athame spread the Goddess's word far and wide. With greater numbers came the need for order and structure. The followers of Athame became the Priestesses of Athame with a High Priestess to lead them. Many millenniums after Athame's departure one High Priestess, High Priestess Truva, had begun the construction of a massive Temple over the sacred Amphitheater where the Goddess had taught her followers. Eventually the massive structure was completed, enclosing and enshrining the site to preserve it for future generations.

The followers of Athame had remained faithful to the Goddess' last commands even as the Oracle remained dim and silent as generation after generation of High Priestesses served and passed into Athame's care. Oressia drew in a breath as she made a gesture of acceptance and gratitude, now…finally…their faithfulness was to be rewarded.

Flickering oil lamps dimly lit the wide, light gray stone steps beneath Oressia's feet. The steps were cut into the very bedrock upon which rested the foundations of the Great Temple of Athame. The air this far beneath the surface was dry and almost chillingly cool upon Matriarch's face and bare arms as it flowed in a constant current as if escaping, Oressia thought whimsically, the press of the depths to the open sunlit spaces above. The High Priestess stepped down from the last stair and entered a long passageway that wound its way down even further below the Temple to the cavern which held the Oracle. Eventually the passageway straightened out and then ended at two intricately carved massive wooden doors which barred the way to the sacred space beyond.

Eight Huntresses stood guard here in their ornately embossed ceremonial dark blue dyed leather armor with burnished metal plates woven into it for extra protection. Their armor marked them as belonging to the Inner Temple Guard, sworn to the Goddess Athame…and to the closely held secrets kept within, and especially beneath, her Great Temple at Serrice. The Huntresses straightened to attention at her approach and saluted her with closed fists against their chests. The High Priestess noted their widen eyes showing behind the openings of their helmets betraying their awareness of what had occurred in the chamber behind the door they so carefully guarded.

"Have any of the other Priestesses arrived?" Oressia inquired, she doubted that any of the other senior Priestesses had either arrived before her or would enter the chamber without waiting for her but wanted to be certain.

"They have not High Priestess," the highest ranking Huntress responded instantly to her question.

Oressia simply inclined her head in acknowledgment of the information. Though there were only six other Priestesses who knew about the beacon, the High Priestess suspected it would take several minutes for the Guard Captain to alert her fellow Priestesses of what had occurred while maintaining the necessary secrecy. Less than a minute later a whisper of sound and the slight feeling in her crest of another powerful biotic aura approaching caused the High Priestess to turn her head to see Priestess Ceria approaching at an almost unseemly quick pace. She nodded to the other Priestess as Ceria paused to give her a shallow bow of respect in return. Over the next few minutes, the other five Priestesses arrived with the Temple Guard Captain following along behind the last.

The High Priestess turned toward the waiting guards and gestured for them to open the massive doors carved with scenes of the Goddess Athame teaching her followers. Two of the Huntresses moved immediately to obey her command. The Huntresses paused in front of each door their bodies coming afire with indigo-white wisps of light as they used their biotics to lift and lighten the weighted doors which were inset into the stone beneath them. As soon as the doors were lifted enough to clear the floor, the two Huntresses, their bodies still lit with ethereal fire, pushed against them to swing them back and open.

Mariarch Oressia drew in a breath as the doors opened enough to reveal the great chamber behind them - a chamber normally shrouded in darkness except for a few lanterns, but was now as brightly lit as if underneath the noon day sun. Her pale blue eyes wide with awe, High Priestess Orissia lead the procession of Priestesses into the Oracle's chamber. As they entered the source of its illumination became clear. Brilliant globes of what looked like pure biotic energy floated atop the nine tall pillars that surrounded the dais of metal upon which the Oracle rested, lighting the interior of the cavern with a cold, bluish-white light. The intricate pattern of silvery metal inlay along the edge of the dais was now glowing with blue and green light and the Oracle itself, a massive oval pillar of silvery metal atop the dais which was as tall as an asari, was also lit with the same blue and green glow in straight vertical lines along its length.

It took a moment for the High Priestess to realize that her steps had faltered and slowed to almost a halt as she beheld the changes wrought by the Oracle's awakening. No wonder the sight had shaken the Guard Captain's composure to such an extent that she had acted more like a maiden than a matron. Drawing upon her own centuries of experience, the High Priestess's steps regained their sureness as she passed in between two of the pillars and approached the dais and the Oracle upon it. As she reached the dais, Oressia hesitated for a brief moment, her gaze focused wonderingly upon the Oracle before stepping upon it.

No sooner had she done so however than the blue and green glow along the Oracle abruptly brightened to such an extent that the Matriarch reflexively closed her eyes against the brilliance of it. The bright flash of light was over in a moment allowing the High Priestess to open her eyes just in time to hear, "You are Asari and you bear no sign of," an incomprehensible word followed, "complete activation of this installation is authorized and will now commence." The deep voice seemed to come from nowhere and from everywhere within the chamber itself.

Oressia had halted the moment the light flashed; now, standing just upon the dais itself, and bewildered both by the disembodied voice and by its message, she glanced up at the Oracle. The High Priestess's eyes widened and she drew in a sharp breath, atop the Oracle now stood a glowing figure. Frozen in place, her mind struggling to understand what exactly she was seeing, it took the Matriarch a moment to realize that she could actually see through the figure. Then it spoke.

"My followers, ten thousand galactic years have passed since I left you," the High Priestess let out a startled gasp and instantly dropped to kneel upon her knees before the figure - before the Goddess Athame. "This is one," the Goddess paused, "and perhaps the most difficult of all possible outcomes which Lucen, Janiri and I anticipated when we created and buried this data cache for you. That you are hearing this message now means that our enemy succeeded in locating and destroying all of the bunkers where our people entered deep sleep in the hope of out waiting our enemy and rebuilding our Empire. If they had not, then one of my people would have already come to you, making this message unnecessary."

People, enemy, Empire? The High Priestess was confused by the message - and frightened by the meaning implicit within it.

"The fact that you are listening to this message means that I must place a difficult task before you my followers, but know that you have already succeeded in two very essential ways. The Oracle still exists and none of you are," again the word that she did not know, "which means that you have successfully kept this installation hidden from our enemy otherwise they would have either sought to find out its contents or destroyed it. You have also kept faith with me for otherwise the knowledge of this chamber would have been lost to the Asari and you would not be here so quickly after the installation's activation."

"First however, I have somewhat of a confession," the glowing figure raised its arms and pulled back the cowl that had obscured its features revealing not the face and crest of an asari, but something else. "My name is not Athame, but Xanabr Ythos, Leader of the Asari Uplift Project."

* * *

Oressia stared blankly out at the night as she stood upon her balcony overlooking the Temple grounds. She lifted her wine glass to her nose and inhaled the scent of the elasa within then took a sip. It was sharp and cold on the forefront of her tongue and then the after taste - bitter mixed with tangy sweetness. Sorrows companion that was the other name for the wine, and some of the best came from the hills to the north of Serrice. The Matriarch took another sip from the glass in her hand, savoring the mingling of flavors as she struggled to bring her chaotic emotions under control. Her eyes drifted upward to stars that just the night before had been beautiful and glorious to look upon - now she couldn't help but feel an almost crushing fear as she wondering whether one of them hid the watching Reapers ready to swoop down upon the Asari like a hawk with its claws outstretched to rend and kill it's tender and helpless prey.

As her gaze finally dropped from the troublesome depths of the night sky above back to the Temple grounds a different emotion rose, this time sharp disillusionment. Oh she understood why Xanabr Yvol had done what she did given the dire circumstances the Protheans faced. Taking over the identity of the three Goddesses had greatly simplified the Protheans' acceptance by the Asari; allowing their uplifting effort to proceed with greater haste than would have been possible otherwise.

At least she had the comforting of knowing that the Asari in and around Serrice had worshiped Athame, Lucen and Janri long before the Protheans had ever discovered Thessia. The Protheans had also not changed the nature of the Goddesses whose identity they had claimed. It was slight comfort, but at least it was some comfort knowing that they were not truly teaching falsehoods to their people. The Goddess Athame had always been the Matriarch of the Goddesses, known for her gifts of prophecy and wisdom. Lucen was the ancient Goddess of the sea and navigation and thus taken by Yvtl Mavir to teach the Asari of celestial navigation and the stars. Janiri was the Goddess of the Storms whose nature varied upon the season; Kashn Batv had taken her identity to teach the Asari of agriculture.

Her attention changing with the shifting nature of her thoughts, the Matriarch musingly opened her hand and let her biotics lift the wine glass she had been holding. This too, or at least the strength of her biotics and her control over them, was a gift from the Protheans; the beginning of them shaping the Asari to be warriors to serve in their Empire against the Reaper forces. Equal measures of anger and fear rose and in the next instant the glass shattered against the stone wall, disintegrating completely into dust from the force of her throw. Oressia clenched her fists, staring at the evidence of how badly her composure and self-control had faltered. This would not do, she was High Priestess and Matriarch and would not let her emotions rule her as if she were a maiden.

They had not been uplifted however, or not completely, the Reapers had advanced too quickly, killed too many and taken too much territory. It had become clear early on that the addition of the Asari to the Empire's forces would not be enough to turn the tide, so instead the Protheans had left, hoping that their enemy would deem the Asari too primitive to exterminate during this cycle. Cycle - the message left by Xanabr had made it clear that the Prothean's extinction had not been the first by far, before them had been the Inusannon and before them yet other cultures and races - all defeated, all now extinct.

The challenge before them to first unite Thessia, uplift themselves with the help of the information Xanabr had left for them, and then unite the current races of the galaxy to oppose the Reapers - all without letting the Reapers know they knew about their existence lest they come even earlier - seemed all but impossible to High Priestess Oressia. There was no other choice however, for the only other outcome was to accept their eventual extermination and that was not something she would accept, not now that they knew of the enemy and had time to prepare for them.


	3. Chapter 3: Armali

Disclaimer: The Mass Effect universe is the property of Bioware/Electronic Arts. No infringement of these copyrights is intended as this is a not for profit fan fiction work.

Authors Notes: Commander Lidova Saris is specifically based on the artwork by LuckyFK named Mighty Huntress. art/Mighty-Huntress-435912461

Revision History: 03/07/2015; 03/20/2015 (Medra 'T'Soni' changed to canon Pania 'T'Soni'); 03/28/2015 (Major changes to mythology); 04/19/2015 (Head Matriarch changed to Potinia); 01/26/2016

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Armali

Almost a decade ago, the High Priestess of Athame had a dream in which she was shown the location of a building deep in the mountains north of Serrice that had been left for the Asari by the Goddess Athame before she departed for the Heavens. Matriarch Oriessia sent her cousin, Jalan Ateos, a skilled Huntress sworn to the service of the Temple to discover whether her vision was true.

Deep within the northern mountains the Huntress did indeed find a building made of the same stone as the mountains around it, and bearing the sigil of the Goddess Athame upon its great stone doors. The matron had not dared to enter the building, but instead returned as quickly as possible to Serrice and to the Temple of Athame. The High Priestess, upon hearing the news that Huntress Jalan had returned, immediately ordered her cousin brought to her so that the matron could tell her what she had found. Upon hearing that her dream had proven true, that it had been a gift of prophecy from the Goddess, Matriarch Oressia instructed the Temple Guard to prepare for her to leave for the newly discovered holy site at first dawn of the next day.

The Huntresses detailed to supplement the Temple Guards in protecting the High Priestess said that Matriarch Oressia had merely laid her hand upon the heavy stone doors of the building and they had swung silently open for her as if by magic, for there was no one inside to open them. Torches that did not burn or give off heat lighted the interior of the building, gleaming off the polished metal panels which covered the interior walls of the building. Some of the panels were inscribed their entire length with writing, while others bore both writing and drawings. Along the base of the three walls opposite the door, were weapons racks filled with twenty seven swords, nine to each wall. The swords had curved blades which seemed to be made of the same polished metal as the plaques while the hilts were wrapped in fine golden wire.

Three metal panels covered the wall opposite the entryway; the wider central panel depicting the Goddess Athame and her two guides the Goddesses Janiri and Lucen while on either side the panels were covered with writing. The panels on the other two walls of the building bore instructions teaching the biotic skills necessary to wield the swords, which were not ordinary swords, but ones through which the skilled wielder could channel warpfire and were capable of cutting through anything, even metal and stone.

The inscriptions told a dire and stunning tale that had sent the Temple into an uproar for those that the Asari had known as the Goddess Athame and her Guides Janiri and Lucen were not the Goddess Athame herself, or Janiri, or Lucen, but devout Priestess of another race. Long ago, before the Asari had ever gained the skill of speech, the eldest of the Elder Races were the first to walk among the stars. There they created beautiful works of art and built great and wondrous cities.

However, many of the eldest Elder Race became arrogant in their birthright and strength. They came to believe that the Elder Races born after them were inherently lesser beings because they were not as strong or advanced as the eldest Elder Race. Eventually, either by threat of conquest or by conquest, the eldest of the Elder Races came to hold stern dominion over all the other Elder Races. Those they conquered they made act and speak as they did, forcing the other Eldest Races to act as lesser versions of themselves. Because of the way the eldest Elder Race treated them the other Elder Races feared and hated them, and only cooperated with the eldest and greatest of the Elder Races with reluctance. The eldest of the Elder Races did not care that those over whom they held dominion feared them however, only that they submitted and obeyed once they proved to be weaker for they believed that might alone was justification for their rulership.

Then, from the great City in the Heavens to which all ways led, the Great Darkness appeared. It looked upon the wonders the Elder Races had created, and was angered, for the Great Darkness could not create. Filled with great jealousy, the Great Darkness began to destroy all that the Elder Races had fashioned. The eldest Elder Race, secure in their strength, let pride rule them, believing they could defeat the Great Darkness on their own, and thus suffered many defeats before they finally demanded aid from the other Elder Races. The other Elder Races, fearful of punishment if they did not act, obeyed, however they also saw an opportunity in the Great Darkness's attack to weaken the eldest Elder Race. Thus they while they fought, they also in secretive ways aided the Great Darkness in the hope that they would be able to both defeat it and gain their freedom from the eldest Elder Race.

The Goddess Athame saw all of this and saw their doom, but the leaders of the eldest Elder Race would not listen to any voice but their own. Their arrogance and their cruelty toward both the other Elder Races and the Younger Races angered the Goddess and she was loath to help them in any way. A few of them however, were still devout, and would listen to her voice. This was needed, for with her gift of prophecy the Goddess Athame saw that once the eldest Elder Racer fell then the other Elder Races and the Younger Races would also fall to the Great Darkness if nothing was done to help them.

The Goddess did not want to see all of the mortal children of Thalassa, the Great Mother Goddess of All Creation, destroyed by the Great Darkness so she went to her sisters, Lucen and Janiri, and told them of what she had foreseen. The three Goddesses began searching among the mortal races for one worthy of their assistance. The other Elder Races were twisted by their servitude under the eldest Elder Race; full of anger and fear and Athame knew that they would only try to dominate the other races in turn if only to protect themselves if given the ability. Thus with bitter regret at their eventual loss, the Goddesses turned away from them and begin searching among the Younger Races.

Many of the Younger Races were promising, but each had some flaw that caused the three Goddesses to pass over them until they came to Thessia and the Asari. The Asari were warriors equal to any among the eldest Elder Race or Younger Races. Unlike the eldest Elder Race and some of the Younger Races however, they were not driven to dominate those weaker than they simply because they were stronger, nor were they inherently violent or cruel. The Asari were very long lived, which allowed them to acquire great wisdom over the centuries of their lives; and the Asari's ability to meld gave them unparalleled understanding and empathy, both for one another and, once they rose to lead the Younger Races, understanding and empathy for those races under their leadership.

The Asari were the Younger Race sought by the Goddesses. With their guidance, the Asari would grow even stronger, flourish, and eventually lead the other races to stand against and defeat the Great Darkness. The Goddess Athame went to one of her most devout followers within a dream and told her to go to the Asari bearing her name and begin preparing the Younger Race for the future she saw for them, for the Elder Races were lost due to the arrogance of the elder Elder Race. Likewise, the Goddess Athame's two sisters, Janiri and Lucen, went to their most devout followers and commanded them to do the same.

The next day the Priestess of Athame grieved for the entire morning, for she was of the elder Elder Race, but she had long known that her brethren had turned away from the Goddesses to worship themselves. After composing herself, she sought out the other two Priestesses and they began preparing to do as their Goddesses commanded them. The three Priestesses journeyed to Thessia, and after taking on the name of their respective Goddess began to teach the Asari.

While the three Priestesses began the task of teaching the Asari what they needed to know to ascend to the Heavens, the Great Darkness won victory after victory over the Elder Races due to the lack of true cooperation among them. By the time the Elder Races truly banded together out of desperation, it was far too late; their struggles among themselves had only doomed all of them.

Eventually, the Goddess Athame's gift of prophecy bestowed the knowledge upon her that the Great Darkness would soon defeat all of the Elder Races and if not distracted the Great Darkness would turn its jealous, angry gaze toward the Younger Races. Together the three Goddesses made it seem as if the worlds of the Younger Races were empty of life so that the Great Darkness would return to the Beyond once it had destroyed the Elder Races thinking that it had destroyed all beings capable of creating and building. Knowing that the presence of the three Priestesses would attract the Great Darkness to Thessia despite their efforts, the Goddesses appeared to them once again in a dream, this time to tell them they must leave to spare the Asari from its notice. Before they left however, they were to build the hidden shrine, and inscribe on its walls the truth of their identity and the Goddess's Prophecy for the Asari.

The Prophecy was a series of tasks that the Asari must succeed at or face the extinction of their entire race as well as the extinction of the other Younger Races by the Great Darkness in the future. The first task given by the Goddess Athame to the Asari was to unite the various Lineages of Thessia into one unified government. The second task was for the Asari to grow in knowledge and wisdom until they could ascend into the Heavens. The third task was for the Asari to unite the Younger Races under their leadership without succumbing to the same arrogance and cruelty that had been the downfall of the eldest Elder Race. The Asari's fourth and final task was to prepare the Younger Races for the inevitable conflict with the Great Darkness and with a truly unified force defeat it once and for all.

In addition to building the hidden shrine, the three Priestesses had also taken the time to craft the twenty-seven swords found within it. One for each of the known Lineages at the time to wield one through their Potiniini; acceptance of the swords was to be a visible sign that the Lineage had sworn themselves and their progeny to the fulfillment of the Goddess Athame's Prophecy for the Asari. To take up the duties and burdens of leadership, not just for their Lineages and the Families sworn to them, but for the Asari as a people, and eventually the other Younger Races as well and guide them so that they could stand against and defeat the Great Darkness when it returned from the Beyond.

The dual revelations that the Goddesses Athame, Lucen and Janiri had not come to Thessia themselves, but sent their most loyal Priestesses in their stead, and the revelation of the Prophecy and the eventual extinction of the Asari race if they did not fulfill it caused an uproar in not only Serrice, but also farther abroad especially in Armali, Ulee and Cybean. Eventually the Matriarchs of Serrice and the other city-states were able to calm those that followed them, reassuring them that the Goddesses had protected them from the Great Darkness and it had already returned to the Beyond otherwise the Goddess Athame would have not sent a vision to the High Priestess showing her the location of the hidden shrine and revealing the prophecy. Faith in the Goddess Athame, though shaken somewhat by the revelation of the identity of the Priestesses, was strengthened by the revelation that the Goddesses had sent them to the Asari, protected them from the Great Darkness, and even now were guiding the Asari so that they could triumph over the Great Darkness when it returned.

Multiple Families held the land around the great city-state of Serrice, but only six held the greatest amount of land and the allegiance of the lesser Families. These six major Lineages were: Ateos, Daris, Edoni, Iessaos, Saris, and Vasir. Just over a year after the Shrine of the Prophecy had been discovered, the High Priestess of Athame offered each Potiniini, or Great Matriarchs, of these six Lineages one of the twenty-seven swords if they would swear oaths binding their Lineages to the fulfillment of the Goddess Athame's prophecy. Each had accepted, going to the Great Temple of Athame and swearing their solemn oaths to the Goddess in the name of their Lineage and lesser allied families who followed them.

The seventh sword, ordered the High Priestess, was to be offered to the Potinia of the T'Soni Lineage of Armali. Thus Serrice's Council had sent the Sixth Mora, not to fight, but in a display of Serrice's commitment to the will of the Goddess Athame, and the military force they were willing to devote to the fulfilling of her will for the Asari. Hopefully negotiations with the T'Soni's would go smoothly and their devoutness would ensure that they would join willingly with the Lineages of Serrice in the task of uniting the rest of the Asari. If they didn't however, Commander Saris had enough forces, and the authorization of the Serrice Matriarchs, to subdue the T'Soni Lineage by force of arms.

That offer from the High Priestess was why Huntress Lidova Saris, Commander of the Sixth Mora of Serrice was currently climbing up a brush covered hill several miles southwest of Armali. She paused midway up the hill she was climbing to look behind her. In the valley below, the bulk of her support troops were setting up for battle while the Sixth Mora, a force of just over a thousand Huntresses, were spreading out into the hills. As she had left the valley the massive cervus who had hauled the wagons full of supplies were just being picketed out to graze. Cervus were massive herd animals; horned reptilian herbivores, they were naturally resistant to biotics, gentle-tempered, but not very intelligent or very fast. They were useful for slow, but steady travel, the pulling of heavy carts and wagons, and for pulling plows. They were not beasts suited for fighting, for they were generally slower and much less agile than a Huntress on foot, and the noise and smell of blood spooked them too easily.

Staying low to the ground as she approached the crest of the hill, the Commander of the Sixth Mora made her way forward though the brush until she could look upon the valley and opposite hill. As she looked down in the darkness, Lidova could just see the outlying farms within the valley, a single lane road winding its way among them. Opposite her, upon the far hill, the tallest in this area, she could just see the first of the layered defensive walls of the T'Soni acropolis or citadel. The various septs and allied families of the T'Soni Lineage were one of the largest, most powerful - and most importantly - influential of the Lineages of Armali. Fortunately, they were also devout followers of Athame.

Lidova frowned; she prayed that Matriarch Ashita T'Soni would agree to join with them willingly, for she did not want to engage the Great Matriarch and the entirety of the T'Soni Lineage in battle. The T'Soni's not only possessed many skilled Huntresses, meaning that the fight against them would be bloody and cost the lives of many on both sides, but taking up arms against them would doubtless turn the other Armali Lineages against them. On the other hand, if the Potinia did accept, then it was likely the other Lineages of Armali would follow her example. It was a bold, but dangerous, gambit by the Serrice Matriarchs. Of course, knowing Matriarchs, Lidova mused, that probably meant that they were already certain of Matriarch Ashita's acceptance of their offer. The matron did not think a Matriarch truly left anything to chance, no matter how it might appear otherwise.

Lidova Saris breathed in and out slowly, her thoughts focused upon the message High Priestess Oressia Ateos had given her to deliver to Matriarch Ashita T'Soni. Word for word, the message had to be relayed perfectly.

"The Huntresses are all in place," the quiet voice of her second-in-command, Huntress Tevry Vasir, broke into her mediation, "the T'Soni Huntresses on watch spotted us at dawn and have surely made their Mistress aware of our presence. As soon as you are ready, we can begin the procession to the acropolis gates."

Before Tevry could withdraw, Lidova opened her eyes and rose to her full height of over an orgyia (6 foot) tall from where she had been kneeling, and with an automatic shrug of her shoulders set the heavy leather chest piece of her armor into a more comfortable placement. She glanced down at the other Huntress who was a few inches shorter than she, "I am ready now, besides it is not proper for us to make Matriarch Ashita wait upon us."

Huntress Vasir smiled wryly, "Indeed, it would not do for us to offend her, even if we do bear a message from the High Priestess of Athame."

Lidova smiled in return even as she ordered, "Get everyone in place. We set out as soon as we are ready."

Tevry nodded, turned, and moved away heading toward a group of waiting Huntresses. "Form up on the road, we leave as soon as everyone is in place," Lidova heard her order them a moment later, setting off a flurry of activity among them.

The Commander of the Sixth Mora observed them for a moment longer, and then satisfied with her Huntresses steady, calm demeanor as they went about their tasks headed to her own spot within the formation, a few paces behind the standard bearers. At this moment, this mission was a diplomatic one under the auspices of the Temple of Athame and the City-State of Serrice, thus their banners would lead the delegation to the T'Soni acropolis gates. A few minutes later everyone was in place and the group set out upon the one lane cart road that connected the T'Soni holdings primarily with Armali, but also with the paved coastal road that connected Armali with both Serrice and even more distant Ulee.

A quarter of an hour later the road straightened out as it made its way into the valley and among the outlying farms of the T'Soni holding. The standards, both blue and silver, but one with the stylized outline of the Temple upon it and the other with the sword, sheaf, and fish of Serrice fluttered in the slight morning breeze. Another half hour passed as the delegation, led by the two standard bears passed among watchful, but curious workers and farmers. If they were aware of the Huntresses surrounding them they did not show it, and Commander Saris wasn't certain if they knew what was about to happen or if they truly were unaware of the battle that might occur here later. Finally the road turned sharply to the right and began the uphill climb towards the fortifications and gate of the T'Soni acropolis at the hill's summit.

The gates barring the way into the T'Soni acropolis were wide, thick and reinforced with thick bands of bronze. Commander Saris had no doubt that the other side had insets and pre-made braces ready to brace the doors against any attempts to force the massive gates open. The two standard bearers stopped about thirty feet away from the gate, leaving a space between them for her to pass between them.

Without hesitation, her bearing confident, Lidova did so stopping just a few feet in front of them before raising her voice so that it could be heard within the gates. "I bring a message from the High Priestess of Athame, Matriarch Oressia to the Potinia of the T'Soni Lineage, Matriarch Ashita. Is she present within to receive it?" She asked as if she wasn't already perfectly aware that the T'Soni Matriarch was in residence.

Only the occasional murmur of sound from the ever growing crowd of curious workers and farmers a short distance away broke the silence that had fallen since Lidova's speech and the response by one of the Huntresses guarding the gate that they would let the Great Matriarch know of her presence. The Commander of the Sixth Mora waited patiently, already having guessed that Matriarch Ashita would make the delegation wait for a short time, even if it was from the High Priestess of Athame. It would not be proper for the Potinia of the T'Soni Lineage to appear to be waiting upon the arrival of a matron Huntress, not even one who was in command of a mora of Huntresses of Serrice.

Lidova estimated that it would not be much longer before the Matriarch made her appearance however, for leaving her standing here for too long would equally be an insult to the ones who had sent her, the High Priestess of Athame and Matriarchs of Serrice. Almost as if they had been listening to her thoughts, in the next few seconds Commander Saris heard movement from inside the gates and then the sound of the interior brace's removal. Moments later the gates swung open, revealing a sizeable presence of armored and armed T'Soni Huntresses. After one quick evaluating glance at the opposing force of Huntresses, Lidova focused her attention upon the Matriarch standing at their center who was taller than most of the Huntresses surrounding her and almost as tall as Lidova was herself.

The Commander of the Sixth Mora of Serrice bowed low in a gesture of respect to the Potinia of the T'Soni Lineage. Few Lineages, whether of Serrice or Armali, could claim direct descendance from the closest followers of the Goddess Athame. The T'Soni Lineage was one of them through their ancestress, Pania T'Soni, a skilled Huntress and musician, and known for being well beloved by the Goddess. Straightening from her bow, Commander Saris looked into the unusually brilliantly blue eyes of the T'Soni Matriarch standing several feet away from her.

The tall Huntress had heard of the blue eyes of the T'Soni's and of how they were a gift to the daughters of Pania T'Soni from the Goddess Athame. She knew of the even more scandalous rumor that the Goddess, or rather the Priestess of Athame, Lidova corrected herself, was actually the pateras of Pania T'Soni's daughters. Whether or not either was true, what was certain was that any of the T'Soni line who possessed them also possessed very powerful biotic abilities and were unusually gifted in wisdom and foresight…thus it was believed they been granted some of the Goddess's own gift of prophecy.

Lidova didn't know whether she believed that the T'Soni's were daughters of the Priestess of the eldest Elder Race, but looking into the Matriarch's intensely blue eyes made her even more uncomfortable with the idea of raising her sword against the T'Soni Matriarch. Not only because of the rumors her heritage, but also because of the potential strength of the Matriarch's powers. Suddenly she wasn't quite as certain that the Sixth Mora alone was enough of a force to ensure a victory over the T'Soni forces, and Lidova found herself devoutly hoping that the Serrice Matriarchs had indeed already ensured Matriarch Ashita's acceptance of the High Priestess's offer.

Commander Saris's momentary distraction did not go unnoticed by the Matriarch, who stared at her questioningly. The matron Huntress straightened her shoulders, trying to ignore her embarrassment, "Matriarch Ashita, Potinia of the T'Soni Lineage, I am Huntress Lidova Saris, Commander of the Sixth Mora of Serrice. I bear a message from the High Priestess of Athame, Matriarch Oressia to you."

Matriarch Ashita looked at her for a few more seconds before graciously inclining her head in acquiescence, "The daughters of Pania T'Soni are always willing to listen to any message from the High Priestess of Athame."

Lidova's eyes widened slightly in surprise at the Matriarch's unexpected response, it was almost as if she were acknowledging the rumors… Had the T'Soni Lineage already known the identity of the being who had called herself the Goddess Athame? Surely if Pania T'Soni had melded deeply enough with the Priestess of Athame to have a daughter she would have had to be aware that her bondmate was not actually the Goddess Athame, but one of the eldest Elder Race. Such a memory would surely have been passed from mother to daughter even unto the current day.

So unexpected was the response that it took Lidova a moment to properly begin her memorized reply, "The Goddesses Athame has summoned the descendants of her followers to fulfill her holy Prophecy for the Asari; to unite Thessia in her name, follow her into the Heavens and unite the Younger Races under our leadership, and then with this great united host, battle the Great Darkness at Goddess's side and cast it forever into the Beyond. As a descendant of Huntress Pania T'Soni, beloved of the Goddess, will you Matriarch Ashita T'Soni, accept one of the swords crafted by the Priestess of Athame's own hand and swear your Lineage to the Goddess's service and the fulfillment of her Prophecy for the Asari?"

The Matriarch stepped forward, her Huntresses standing aside to let her pass; only stopping when she was a few feet away from Lidova. "Pania T'Soni was devoted to the Goddess Athame, and her daughters are no less devoted to the Goddess. The entirety of the T'Soni Lineage will not rest until we fulfill the Goddess's will for us and defeat the Great Darkness."

Asari in all different hues of blue, some wearing leather armor, some flowing dresses, and some very little at all, flowed gracefully around one another within the central courtyard of the domicile of Matriarch Ashita. Commander Saris nodded her thanks to one of the servitors who was carrying around a large tray of juice filled cups for the Matriarch's guests as she took one of them. Sipping on the refreshingly tart juice, the Huntress looked around at the gathering. Only a few of her officers were here, the rest of the Sixth Mora had withdrawn to the valley where their supply train was located to finish setting up camp. They would remain here a few days until Matriarch Ashita was ready to leave for Serrice, then they would escort her and her entourage to the Great Temple of Athame for the presentation of the sword and her formal oath taking.

After her acceptance of the High Priestess of Athame's offer, Matriarch Ashita had formally invited Commander Saris and her officers to join her for the evening meal. One did not turn down such an offer from a Potinia, especially one which had just become an ally, thus Lidova had arrived almost an hour ago along with her second, Tevry Vasir. Normally Lidova would have had the other Huntress stay at the camp, but the Vasir's had close ties to the T'Soni Lineage. The Matriarch would have rightfully seen Tevry Vasir's absence as a sign of mistrust in the alliance, a grave insult to the Potinia of the T'Soni Lineage as it implied Commander Saris, and by extension the High Priestess of Athame and the Matriarchs of Serrice, did not trust the Matriarch's word.

Lidova's brown eyes fell upon a matron wearing a sheer red skirt and a belt of beaten silver links around her waist and narrowed thoughtfully. The matron was Tal'motea Lero, daughter of Matriarch Nar'sae, the Potinia of the Lero Lineage of Ulee. Her briefing had made no mention of the matron's presence, something she found slightly suspicious. The Lero Lineage of Ulee was very influential and held the alliance of many minor Ulee families. While they were not direct descendants of one of the Goddess's followers, they were believers and generous donors to Ulee's temple. In truth, Commander Saris was beginning to think that perhaps the presence of the Sixth Mora today had much less to do with being a display of resolve to the T'Soni Lineage and more of being a display to their guest from Ulee.

Deep indeed ran the machinations of the Matriarchs, like unseen currents just below the surface of an ocean, and they could either pull one under the surface or sweep the unwary along with them. In this case Lidova thought she was catching a glimpse of how the Matriarchs were arranging events to gather in Lineages much farther away than just Serrice and Armali without so much as a battle. She would not be at all surprised now to hear in the coming months that the other three major Lineages of Armali had followed the lead of the T'Soni Lineage and that the High Priestess was now offering a sword to the Lero Lineage of Ulee. If the High Priestess could get the oaths of the Lineages of Armali and Ulee to unite with Serrice then wider ties of kinship would bring in yet other Lineages, even those who did not yet worship the Goddess Athame. It might even be possible for them to unite all of the northern city-states that bordered the Ceripian Ocean with very little bloodshed, mused Lidova, but the southern city-states would be much more difficult for there were lesser ties between the Lineages of north and south.

Her eyes shifted away from the Lero matron, only to be caught by the deep blue eyes of a young matron staring at her from across the courtyard. Huntress Ceiya T'Soni, third daughter of Matriarch Ashita and just out of her maiden years, was undeniably beautiful and judging by her direct, open stare, also personally interested in Lidova. The Serrice Huntress smiled as she returned the other matron's stare. Ceiya shared her mother's height, which meant they were well matched in that respect, but where Lidova was unusually muscular, even for a Huntress, Ceiya's build was more traditionally lithe.

Lidova shifted her stance, altering her posture as if there were someone standing beside her in a silent invitation for the T'Soni matron to join her. Certainly she would not be at all adverse to sharing pleasures with the blue eyed Huntress. Her smile deepened as Ceiya inclined her head and began making her way through the crowd to her. Let the Matriarchs handle their subtle machinations, Lidova thought as Ceiya stepped into the space the Serrice Huntress had made beside her, an inviting smile curving the younger matron's deep blue lips. She would go where they directed and perform to the best of her ability; tonight though she had other things in mind, like celebrating a newfound alliance.


	4. Chapter 4: Cybean

Disclaimer: The Mass Effect universe is the property of Bioware/Electronic Arts. No infringement of these copyrights is intended as this is a not for profit fan fiction work.

Revision History: 03/20/2015: 04/18/2015 (Head Matriarch changed to Potinia)

* * *

Cybean

Lidova undulated her hips, sliding her deliciously sensitive _kunaja_ , the long ridge of flesh that ran from her birth channel to the top of her cleft, which was now greatly swollen and slick with the juices of her arousal, against the equally aroused flesh of her lover. She and Ceyia were silent except for the increased rate of their breathing within their tent as they focused on bringing pleasure to one another. Not that they were at all embarrassed or trying to hide what they were doing for there was no reason to be, and certainly any Huntress passing nearby would smell their mingled arousal and know exactly what they were doing, but others were trying to sleep around them. It was courteous to let them, especially as there was a chance that negotiations might fail tomorrow and they might not just be there to show Serrice's commitment to the fulfillment of the Goddess Athame's Prophecy, but prove it.

In the darkness Lidova could not see Ceyia's deep blue eyes go black, but she felt the change in her aura and felt the tingling on her skin that meant her lover wanted to meld with her. A meld was not necessary for them to pleasure one another, but the mental joining added yet another level of intimacy and the intensity of their physical arousal would be that much greater when shared with one another. Lidova relaxed and let their aura's merge with one another, felt the first overlaid sensation of Ceyia's pleasure along with her own as her body moved against the other asari's. Her lover did not deepen the meld, mindful of the need to not become so unaware of their surroundings; it was only deep enough for the sharing of sensation as well as a light touch of emotion.

Their bodies and minds danced together, moving, shifting, and sliding against one another in a rising spiral of shared need and pleasure which was both physical and mental. Though they also needed to rest, the two of them were in no great hurry, letting their arousal steadily rise instead of rushing to the summit. Eventually their bodies stiffened as they reached the peak of their pleasure together, holding one another tightly as their bodies and minds crested as one and then slowly came down on the other side. As their bodies relaxed, their minds remained joined for several moments longer, savoring their mutual fulfillment and sharing their love of one another before gently slipping apart. Returning fully to herself, Lidova inhaled the rich, full scent of their mutual arousal, which had at the beginning of their pleasuring stirred her to even greater heights of need but was now soothing to her senses. Shifting closer to Ceyria in the darkness, she sought out and brushed her lips against those of her lover.

With the blessings of the Goddess Athame, tomorrow would go as well as the day that they had first met, hoped Lidova as she settled herself into their shared bedding. Events had played out as the Commander of the Sixth Mora of Serrice had suspected those many months ago, proving, at least to her, that the Matriarchs indeed did not let anything happen by chance and that they had a well thought out overarching plan for the unification of Thessia. In less than two years, the foremost Lineages of Serrice, Armali and Ulee had all sworn themselves to the Goddess Athame's Prophecy for the Asari.

The other three leading Armali Lineages: T'Esro, T'Kaos, and T'Mire had joined the T'Soni Lineage in each accepting one of the Swords of Athame as they were now called, and swore their Lineages to the fulfillment of the Goddess's Prophecy within months of one another. Almost a year later, the Lero Lineage was offered the eleventh sword, and promptly accepted, becoming the first of the Ulee Lineages to swear themselves to Athame's Prophecy. The Vare and Seva Lineages of Ulee followed before the heat of summer cooled to fall. Now, with the spring of the following year, the Sixth Mora of Serrice along with a mora of Huntresses from both Armali and Ulee were less than a day's march away from the city-state of Cybean, which was north of both Serrice and Ulee upon the Ceripian Ocean.

* * *

The following day Zelina T'Estro, Commander of the Second Mora of Armali, Ni'ra Lero, Commander of the Fourth Mora of Ulee, and Lidova as Commander of the Sixth Mora of Serrice, wound their way through the outskirts and marketplace of Cybean to its acropolis gates. The city-state of Cybean was not located in mountainous regions, as were Serrice and Armali, therefore the acropolis was not located at the highest point, but roughly in the middle of the outlying residential and commercial buildings. Open areas of grassland mixed with lowland forest surrounded the city-state. To the east, nearer the coast, was a wide marshland with brackish water from the nearby Ceripian Ocean. To the southeast, the Nirynia River meandered through the marshland, inland, and then through the southern part of Cybean where there were many warehouses and docks along the river.

Just in front of the open gates of the fortified acropolis, Matriarch Talara, Potinia of the Edoro Lineage, and Matriarch Esella, Potinia of the Saro Lineage, greeted them along with the Matriarchs of the Families allied with the two Lineages and a full complement of Huntresses arrayed both outside and inside the gates as well as upon the acropolis walls. Lidova's gaze went past the two Potinias to the five other Matriarchs arrayed behind them, recognizing from the descriptions given in her briefing Matriarch Jiora of the Ateoro Family, Matriarch Tala of the Matro Family and Matriarch Imiza of the Keiro Family who stood with Matriarch Talara as they were allied with the Edoro Lineage, and then Matriarchs Kaliha and Aiakiva of the Jasaro and Daliro Families respectively who stood with the Potinia of the Saro Lineage, Matriarch Esella.

The city-state of Cybean was much smaller both in population and size than either Armali and Ulee and much, much smaller than Serrice, and the two Lineages between them held the allegiance of all the Families both major and minor in and around the city state. Though the possibility of the two Lineages rejecting the High Priestess's offer of a Sword of Athame existed, Commander Lidova was not expecting that outcome as Matriarch Talara, who was noticeably taller than any of the asari around her save for a few of the Huntress's guarding her, undoubtedly also members of her Lineage, was a descendant of Huntress Phaora Edoro one of the followers of the Goddess Athame. Just as in Armali and Ulee, Lidova expected this public offer to be more of a formality than anything else, and behind the scenes the two Potinias' acceptance had been sought and gained before she was given orders to depart for Cybean.

Commander Lidova Saris stepped forward, and raising her voice for all present to hear, spoke, "Matriarch Talara, Potinia of the Edoro Lineage and Matriarch Esella, Potinia of the Saro Lineage," the Huntress turned her attention next to the Matriarchs standing behind them, politely recognizing each of them as well before continuing with her speech. "I am Huntress Lidova Saris, Commander of the Sixth Mora of Serrice, with me are," she introduced her two fellow commanders, "I bear a message from the High Priestess of Athame, Matriarch Oressia to the Potentia of the Edoro Lineage, Matriarch Talara and the Potentia of the Saro Lineage, Matriarch Esella…"

From there, matters proceeded much as they had at both Armali and Ulee, with the two Potinias agreeing to swear their Lineages and allies to the fulfillment of the Goddess Athame's Prophecy for the Asari and accepting the High Priestess of Athame's offer of one of the Swords of Athame for each of their Lineages. That made the Edoro and Saro Lineages the fourteenth and fifteenth Lineages to accept Matriarch Oressia's offer, and Cybean the fourth city-state to join the steadily growing alliance. Afterward, Matriarch Talara and Matriarch Esella invited Lidova and her two fellow Commanders along with their officers to join them this evening at the central meeting hall within the acropolis where they celebrate the day's events with a communal meal.

That evening Lidova along with, Commander Zelina T'Estro, and Commander Ni'ra Lero as well as a few of their officers, including Ceyria T'Soni who was in command of an _enomotia_ , or group of thirty-two Huntresses, under T'Estro's command, made their way back to Cybean's acropolis. The evening weather was chilly, as it was still early in the spring, so the warmth of the meeting hall with its two lit fireplaces, one at each end, was very welcome as they shed their cloaks. Once inside, both Potentias and the sight of tables alongside one wall filled with food and drink greeted them.

Lidova and Ceyria were nibbling upon the repast as they wove their way among the throng of asari, pausing to speak with their fellow officers as well as their new allies. The two were describing the Great Temple of Athame to a small group of Cybean Huntresses, mostly maidens but also a few matrons, who had never been as far south as Serrice, when an attractive, sky blue maiden dressed in a simple but well made robe dyed in the light green of the Edoro Lineage approached the small group and, upon catching the Commander's attention, bowed respectfully. The tall, muscular Huntress frowned slightly, shifting her attention away from the other Huntresses to glance inquiringly at the younger asari.

"Commander Lidova, My mistress, Matriarch Talara, requests your presence," the maiden announced, confirming her suspicion. Lidova glanced around, noting quickly that messengers were talking to her fellow commanders. "Commander Zelina and Commander Ni'ra have also been invited," the maiden commented, having followed her gaze.

The matron Huntress nodded to the young maiden, then turned back to her audience of Cybean Huntresses, "If you will excuse me, I'm sure Huntress Ceyria would be willing to answer your questions?" she turned toward her lover.

"Of course," Ceyria responded with a smile, "you should not keep the Potentia of the Edoro Lineage waiting Commander."

Lidova reached up, brushed the back of her fingers delicately across the smooth skin of her lover's cheek affectionately, "Thank you, I will return after attending to the wisdom of the Matriarch."

The Commander of the Sixth Mora of Serrice spoke both to Ceyria and for the benefit of the listening Cybean Huntresses. She knew that some of them were not only sworn to the service of the Edoro Lineage as Huntresses, but were also acolytes of its Potentia, seeking to learn from her wisdom and guidance. From their approving expressions, Lidova could see that her respect of their Potentia had made the desired impression. While Cybean was not nearly as large or influential as Serrice, Armali or Ulee, the Commander wanted the Huntresses to know that did not mean that they did not value and respect their latest allies.

Lidova followed the sky blue maiden though the crowd and to a hallway leading farther back into the meeting hall where she fell into step with her fellow Commanders. The hallway ended at an anteroom with two wide arches on either side, above one was the Edoro crest, above the other was the Saro crest. The maiden led them though the Edoro marked archway, through a large reception area with several empty desks arranged around the perimeter, and to an open doorway of a large office. Within Matriarch Talara awaited them along with two matron Huntresses who Lidova recognized from earlier introductions, Lead Huntress Jidra Edoro, the commander of the Huntresses guarding Cybean and Lead Huntress Kala Ateoro, commander of Matriarch Talara's personal guard.

The Matriarch and two matron Huntresses rose from the chairs they had been seated in upon their entry. Lidova stopped a respectful distance away from the Matriarch and bowed, her fellow Commanders beside her doing the same. "You wished to speak with us, Matriarch?"

"Yes," the elder asari acknowledged her. She made a sweeping motion with her hand to the three empty chairs arranged in a loose semi-circle across from where she and her Huntresses had been seated, "Commanders please be seated. Madiva," the Matriarch turned her attention to the sky blue maiden who had brought her message to Lidova, "if you would get us refreshments please."

Commander Lidova, along with her fellow Commanders moved over to the indicated chairs and then waited politely for Matriarch Talara to return to her own seat before seating themselves. As soon as they sat the two Lead Huntresses standing to either side of their Matriarch returned to their chairs as well.

"Thank you Madiva; if you would serve the wine please and then you can return to the meeting hall," the Matriarch said as the maiden entered with a tray containing six glasses filled with what Lidova suspected was tuweavin; a sweet, fragrant, red dessert wine from the marshland tuwean fruit that Cybean was well known for producing.

"Matriarch," the maiden bowed, "I would be honored." The sky blue complexioned young asari started toward Matriarch Talara before halting when the elder asari waved her toward her guests and changing direction toward them. Lidova took one of the glasses for herself, lifting it to her nose for a moment to enjoy the intense fragrant fruit and floral aroma of it before lowering it as she waited for everyone else to receive their own. As soon as everyone had a glass Madiva bowed once again to the Matriarch, and then quietly left the room.

Lidova, like everyone else in the room, waited for Matriarch Talara to take the first sip before actually tasting the wine. A quiet sound of enjoyment escaped as the first taste of it upon her tongue more than held up to the promise given by its aroma. It was less sweet than she expected, with unexpectedly bold fruit flavors predominating at the start and then finishing a nice crispness underlaid with a hint of minerality. The Commander lowered her glass for a moment to stare bemusedly at it before drawing in its scent once again before taking another sip. The wine was definitely from Cybean, but bolder and more complex than anything she had tasted from this area before today.

"Matriarch Xanazia named this 'Maiden's Promise'," Matriarch Talara commented drawing Lidova's attention away from her wine. "It is the result of an experiment with cultivating tuwean fruit on the edges of the marshland and using just enough irrigation to keep the vines healthy. I would say it is a success. The fruit of the vines are not as large or numerous, but the fruit that is there has a more intense flavor…and that carries over into the wine made from them."

"It is excellent," Lidova responded, "I am honored that you would share this with us and if you would," she paused to incline her head to the Matriarch, "please let Matriarch Xanazia know of our appreciation for her skilled crafting of it." Her fellow Commanders quickly echoed her expression of appreciation for the wine.

For the first time the Commander actually saw the Great Matriarch of the Edoro Lineage smile. "I am pleased that you enjoy it and I am certain Matriarch Xanazia will be pleased to know of your appreciation as well. Unfortunately the harvest was too small to make more than a few casks of the first vintage, but that was two years ago and since then we have only increased the amount of fruit we are cultivating with the same method. Another few years and we should be able to produce enough for trade." She looked thoughtful for a moment, "However there are just enough casks left for me to bring a few with me as a gift for the High Priestess of Athame when we travel to Serrice."

Lidova took another sip to give herself a moment to carefully compose her reply. "I cannot speak for the High Priestess, but I would not be surprised to learn after your visit that she enjoyed this wine as much as we are right now. Certainly I will await the opportunity to purchase a few casks for my Potentia and our household."

Matriarch Talara regarded her with a hint of amusement, "Your words are kind and well considered Commander Lidova," the elder asari complemented her. "Wine however, is not the only thing I would like to bring with me when I visit Serrice." Lidova's gaze sharpened on the Matriarch in curiosity as she waited for her to continue.

"Serrice and Cybean are linked by the Ceripian Ocean and there is strong trade traffic by way of merchant vessels between our two city-states," Matriarch Talara lifted her glass slightly, "our wines being one of our strongest exports. Yet for all of that trade, truly only the merchants, sailors and the occasional wandering maiden is as familiar with Serrice as they are Cybean. With our closer alliance, I would see that change," Matriarch Talara paused for a moment before continuing. "If we are to be truly unified, then our maidens and matrons must become more familiar with their sisters in Serrice, Armali and Ulee. I would like to bring a small group of Huntresses with me to Serrice, no more than twenty or thirty. Let them live and train together with your Huntresses for a year and then return here with what they have learned both from you and of Serrice so that our two city-states do not seem so far apart. In the future, I would be pleased if this became an even exchange, with Cybean hosting an equal number of Huntresses from Serrice."

Commander Lidova's eyes widened with surprise, of all the possible topics of conversation she had not expected this one…but the more she thought about Matriarch Talara's idea the more she saw the wisdom in it. Such an exchange would not only bring knowledge of Serrice to Cybean, both of their different methods of training and knowledge of their ways and beliefs, but also bring knowledge of Cybean to Serrice. Binding together the city-states in ways that declarations of alliances could not, through personal friendships of Huntress to Huntress - unification that would go well beyond the ties of politics and trade.

Lidova took a moment to glance at her fellow Commanders, and saw in the way their gazes met her own the same interest in the Matriarch's idea. She turned back to the Matriarch, "Lineage Edoro is blessed by your wisdom Matriarch Talara," she complemented the elder asari, "I believe your Huntresses will be very welcome among those who serve Serrice."


	5. Chapter 5: Messonia

Disclaimer: The Mass Effect universe is the property of Bioware/Electronic Arts. No infringement of these copyrights is intended as this is a not for profit fan fiction work.

Author's Note: Term change in the story, Head/High Matriarch of a Lineage (or tribal area as we move farther away from Serrice) is now called a Potinia, or Great Matriarch. The word translates as Great Lady and comes from Linear B.

Revision History: 04/26/2015

* * *

 **Messonia**

Almost three years had passed since Lidova had stood in front of Cybean's acropolis gates and recited the offer from the High Priestess to give a Sword of Athame to the Potiniini of that city-state in exchange for their swearing their Lineages to fulfillment of the Goddess's Prophecy for the Asari. Two years ago Matriarch Talara had brought thirty gifted matron and maiden Huntresses with her from Cybean when she had visited the High Temple of Athame to formally oath bound her Lineage to the fulfillment of the Prophecy before Matriarch Orissa.

The Huntresses of Serrice had eagerly welcomed their fellow Huntresses from Cybean. For the next several months they hosted their guests: sharing the same quarters and food, and undergoing the same strict training regimen in integrated units. The Cybean Huntresses learned skills and methods that went beyond physical and biotic training into methods of city defense as well as offensive and defensive unit operations for groups much larger than a peripolia, or eight Huntresses. The last especially was almost unknown outside of Serrice, Armali and Ulee. Elsewhere, Huntresses usually operated as a zevgos, or small team of two, or multiples of a zevgos up to a peripolia and had little experience with how to organize or be effective in larger groups.

When their training was finished for the day, the Huntresses often gathered and swapped stories of their pasts as well as tales of their respective experiences in Serrice and Cybean. Frequently groups went out into the city to enjoy all that Serrice had to offer a maiden or matron: restaurants, bars, theater, street musicians and entertainers, and establishments where one could purchase the skills of a consort for a few hours. At the end of the year, the Cybean Huntresses had returned to their northern city-state alongside thirty Huntresses from Serrice who were no longer strangers to them, but friends and in some cases lovers. Since then, similar exchanges had taken place between all four allies, and at any time Serrice was hosting almost two hundred Huntresses from the other allied city-states while a similar number from their ranks were divided between Armali, Ulee and Cybean.

Yesterday Lidova had stood in front of the gates of the acropolis of Messonia and delivered the offer of the High Priestess of Athame to the Potiniini of the city, Matriarch Jatemea of the Akoteas Lineage and Matriarch Pheella of the Morveas Lineage. Unlike the three times she had delivered the same message to Armali, Ulee and Cybean the Potiniini of Messonia had rejected the High Priestess's offer. Commander Lidova had then invited the Potiniini of Messonia or their representatives to travel under the protection of her forces to Serrice. They could visit the Shrine of Athame's Prophecy for the Asari in person and judge the truthfulness of its warning for themselves. That offer had been refused as well.

Like Serrice and Armali, Messonia was a saltwater port city built upon the shores of the Galina Sea which connected with the Ceripian Ocean by way of the Straits of Esarisha. Unfortunately however, Messonia did very little trading with Serrice. Instead, they traded primarily with the other small city-states which bordered the Galina Sea. Population wise, Messonia was smaller than Cybean, with an estimated ten thousand inhabitants living in and immediately around the city-state's acropolis. By comparison it was approximately one sixth the size of Serrice, which last Lidova had heard had just over forty thousand inhabitants living within the boundaries of the outer wall of the city-state and another thirty thousand living within the patrol boundaries.

In addition to weak trade ties, the asari of the city-state worshiped Thalassa, the Mother Goddess of All Creation, as their Matriarchal Goddess instead of the Goddess Athame. The Mother Goddess of All Creation had melded with Aykeus, the formless primordial essence that existed before anything else. From this melding, Thalassa had given birth to the Heavens and Thessia. Thalassa melded with Aykeus again and from this second melding gave birth to the Goddesses, and then finally after a third melding she gave birth to all mortal beings and animals. The Mother Goddess Thalassa did not concern herself with the specific fates of the mortal beings to which she had given birth however, which was why, while they honored her as the Mother of All Creation, the Asari of Serrice, Armali, and Ulee did not worship her as they did her children, the various Goddesses and especially her eldest child, the Goddess Athame.

Between the lack of trade and differing religious beliefs, it was not a surprise to Commander Lidova that the Potiniini of Messonia had not accepted either the High Priestess of Athame's offer or the offer to visit the Shrine of Athame's Prophecy. The Potiniini of what was now being called the Alliance of the Prophecy had obviously not expected them accept either given the increased number of mora assigned to her command: two from Serrice, the Second and Sixth; two from Armali, the Third and Fifth; one from Ulee, the Second; and two pentekostys, with one hundred and twenty eight Huntresses each, from Cybean, which was just now arranging it's Huntresses into larger units than an omada, or sixteen Huntresses.

Lidova nodded in satisfaction as she examined the latest charts her scouts had compiled and annotated of area surrounding the city-state of Messonia and its defenses. Like Cybean before it joined the Alliance and began the exchange of Huntresses, the acropolis of Messonia was relatively primitive. Thick wooden logs formed the underlying scaffolding of the wall and upper fortifications, and then heavy stone squares were used to fill in between and reinforce the wooden supports. The wall itself was only two orgyia high, or as high as two asari standing atop one another. Comparatively, the acropoli of Serrice, Armali and Ulee...and even the acropolis of the T'Soni Holdings, were more advanced, with thick stone walls as high as three or, in the case of Serrice, four orgyia tall.

She and the other Commanders also hoped, once again like Cybean before they began the Huntress exchange, that Messonia's Huntresses were unused to serving in defensive units larger than an omada or had any great amount of training in the skills necessary to defend their city walls. If they were correct in their assumption, then forcing the Messonian Huntresses into just such a defensive stance should give the Alliance forces a decided tactical advantage. The Huntresses of Serrice, Armali and Ulee were specifically trained to make large coordinated assaults on fortified positions utilizing both their biotics and bows. On the defense, Huntresses rotated constantly on barrier duty for their units, maintaining a protective barrier against both biotic and physical attacks for their unit.

Lidova and the other Commanders planned to begin their assault of the city at dawn which was now just a few hours away. The Allied forces did not have enough supplies for a protracted siege, and every hour they waited was one which gave reinforcements from outlying areas the opportunity to arrive and begin harrying their forces in hit and run attacks, making their task of subduing the city-state even more difficult. Current estimates of able Huntresses within the city-state ranged from four to six thousand, a number equal to the Alliance's forces.

Lidova would prefer it if her forces decisively outnumbered those of Messonia, however, that was not the case. Fortunately a direct comparison of numbers only told part of the story. Besides not being as well trained, the Messonian forces were also not as well equipped as the Alliance forces. Their armor was lighter and less protective and their bows were relatively primitive straight bows, not having either the range or stopping power of the compound reflex bows of the Alliance. There was another factor to consider as well, while training the Huntresses from Cybean in biotic techniques, Lidova and the other trainers had noticed that the Huntresses who were not descended from the families of the Followers of Athame were not only shorter in stature, but their biotics were also not as powerful. It was certainly not enough to make them ineffectual as Huntresses, especially with dedication to their training, but there was a noticeable difference in raw biotic ability. Like those Cybean Huntresses, the Messonian Huntresses were noticeably shorter and slighter than the majority of the Alliance forces. If the same held true, then their biotics should be less powerful and that should also hold true for their matriarchs. Overall, comparing the relative effectiveness of the Alliance forces against those of the Messonia gave the Alliance a clear advantage, despite the fact that they did not outnumber the defenders.

The corners of Lidova's dark blue lips curved downward at her last thought, she truly wished that one of the Potiniini of Messonia, either Matriarch Jatemea or Matriarch Pheella, had accepted her offer to visit the Shrine of the Prophecy for themselves. If they had only witnessed the doors that opened at the only touch of a senior Priestess of Athame and no one else, seen the bright torches within that burned without any apparent source of fuel and without giving off heat, and read the sacred words written upon the polished metal plaques which were made of a material harder than any the Asari could forge themselves. Surely the wonders of the Shrine itself would have persuaded them of the authenticity of the message written within the building and of the necessity of joining the Alliance for the future survival of not only their race, but also all of the other younger races when the Great Darkness returned from the Beyond to see if any who created and built existed in the Heavens.

The Potiniini of Messonia had not accepted either of the invitation offered to them however, and Lidova's orders regarding that possible eventuality were clear. If the city-state of Messonia would not join the Alliance of the Prophecy willingly, then they would be subjugated and forced to join whether willingly or not for the greater good. The Commander could only hope that the matriarchs would quickly recognize that they could not stand against her forces and surrender before too many died on either side.

Initiation of hostilities between Messonia and the Serrice led Alliance of the Prophecy actually began before dawn. Messengers from the Alliance forces were sent to the city in the almost complete darkness of early morning bearing missives which detailed how surrenders should be offered, and that the Temple of Thalassa within the acropolis of Messonia would be honored as a place of safety for those unable to fight: such as any pregnant asari, mothers with young children, and matriarchs entering the final phase of their life as well as those too wounded to continue fighting.

Lidova and her fellow Commanders gave the city-state nearly two hours to prepare for their attack. It meant that the walls of the acropolis would be fully defended, but that actually favored their battle plan – provided their assumptions about the Huntresses of Messonia were correct of course. If they were correct, then they should see each Huntress providing her own barrier instead of one Huntress providing a barrier for many and then cycling with another while she recovered and even ate sweet provisions made from dried fruit and fatty meat if necessary to keep up her strength. Without any time for recovery and under an almost constant barrage of attacks, the defending Huntresses should be exhausted from the battle within two to four hours. At that point they would falter, begin to make mistakes, and would become much easier targets for the Huntresses of the Alliance.

Lidova looked upward, Kurinth was currently very bright in the sky which told her that dawn was soon to come; as the sky began to lighten, the planet would fade and disappear from sight with the rising of the sun. The Commander of the Sixth Mora turned her gaze toward the city, under Kurinth's brightness she could see the numerous Huntresses arranged upon the low walls of the acropolis. She bowed her head for a moment in resignation at the inevitability of the coming conflict and said a prayer for them to Piares who would guide their spirits upon their final journey.

Lifting her head once she finished with her prayer the tall, muscular matron focused her attention on the arrangement of the Huntresses of her mora. Just as she was, they were dressed in full armor, their chest pieces and leggings augmented with protective metal plates, while helmets of both metal and hardened leather protected their crested heads and faces. The Huntresses assigned to provide defensive barriers would do their best, but it was always possible that a concerted attack upon any one of them would shatter their barrier leaving the peripolia, or group of eight huntresses they were protecting vulnerable to attack. In that case, they would depend upon their armor to protect them until they could summon their own personal barriers or the Huntress assigned to protect them could re-establish the group's barrier.

Commander Lidova's mora of a thousand and twenty-four Huntresses was divided into two lochos with her personal peripolia of Huntresses anchoring the center, Huntress Tevry Vasir, her second in command, held the end of the first lochos to her left, while Huntress Kitha Edoni, her third in command, held the end of the second lochos which was arrayed to her right. The other five mora from Serrice, Armali and Ulee as well as the two pentekostys from Cybean were deployed further around the city-state. They had secured the outlying farms the day before, now all that was left between them and the acropolis walls were several streets of shops, warehouses and homes. These would have to secure those buildings as well before they could focus their attention on the walls of the acropolis.

Lidova glanced up at the sky once again, noting that Kurinth was less bright and in the east she could now see colors upon the horizon shading from purple toward orange. She turned and nodded to the youngest of the Huntresses with her, "Send up the arrow." The maiden nodded, turned and picked up a carefully prepared arrow wrapped in cloth and dipped in tallow. This she lit from a nearby torch before notching the now flaming arrow in her bow, raising the weapon, and then with a slight biotic assist sending it in a flaming arc into the still dark sky. Lidova watched the flaming arrow for a moment and when it began its downward arc, she motioned with her arm for her Huntress to move forward toward the outlying buildings of the city-state. It was time to begin their attack.

It took the Alliance forces nearly two hours to make their way through the outlying buildings, as the Huntresses of Messonia fought a well-coordinated retreating battle toward the acropolis walls, setting up ambushes both within and around the buildings. Due to the threat they posed, the Alliance forces had to carefully enter each building to verify that it was empty or to ensure the submission of any within by either killing them or accepting their surrender. Eventually however they secured the last few buildings and were finally ready to begin their assault upon Messonia's acropolis walls, which, while they were only two orgyia tall, were four heavy grey stone blocks thick and certainly stout enough to ward off any raider attack. Unfortunately for the Messonian's the thick walls were not deterring raiders this morning.

Forcefully thrusting out a bluish-white wreathed hand, Lidova focused her will and then watched as a focused sphere of energy sailed from her toward the top of the city wall. The singularity would draw anyone and anything within a few orgyia into itself, crushing them within its effect. So far their suspicions about the biotic abilities of Messonia's Huntresses seemed to be proving true, they were not as powerful, or well trained in biotic techniques as the Huntresses of the Alliance. Their barriers, throws and pulls were respectable, and their older maidens and matrons utilized their biotics quite effectively in hand to hand combat, but Lidova had noticed that none of the defenders seemed to know how to make any type of complex biotic effect such as the singularity she had just created.

The Commander suspected that she was seeing firsthand the difference between the training she, along with the other young Huntresses of Serrice, had received from the Temple, which had carefully preserved and passed down the biotic lessons and techniques originally taught by the Elder Race Priestesses to the Followers of Athame, and training that had first been learned through instinctive use and then expanded upon by basic trial and error. She knew a wide range of biotic techniques, and knew that the Priestesses of Athame invited especially gifted maidens, matrons, and even matriarchs to return to the Temple for further training in even more advanced biotic techniques. Ceyia was one of those invited matrons, and three days out of every week she was excused from regular Huntress training so that she could attend the Temple's advanced biotic training classes.

The Huntresses of Messonia had access to none of this advanced training, and currently the Alliance forces were exploiting this weakness for all that it was worth, utilizing complex attacks which the Messonian defenders had difficulty countering for the simple fact that they did not recognize them. They were learning rapidly however, Lidova's lips twisted in wry amusement as she heard warning shouts from above. Unfortunately however, the singularity hadn't actually been the focus of her attack; it was simply a way for her to clear this portion of the wall of defenders for her Huntress's actual attack.

"Warpfire on the wall!" she ordered pointing toward the section she wanted weakened. Understanding exactly what she wanted done from their training, those Huntresses of her peripolia not assigned to barrier duty immediately began attacking the stone reinforced wall with their biotics. Bluish-white energy lashed across the surface of the stone, underneath the powerful shearing force of their combined attack the stone and wood began literally disintegrating before Lidova's eyes, the dark grey stone blocks cracking and crumbling while the wood supports bracketing the section of stone tore and splintered apart.

"Halt" the Commander called out once she felt they had sufficiently weakened the wall. Her eyes narrowing in concentration, Lidova focused her will, indigo-white energy gathering about her body. Thrusting one hand out as she shifted her weight forward, the tall Huntress directed the dark energy built up around her body at the center of the weakened area. As the biotic push slammed into the wall, the severely weakened stone and wood was destroyed in an explosion of shards and splinters, leaving a gaping crater in the acropolis wall that went almost entirely the way through it. Not all the way through however and a slight sound of dissatisfaction escaped from Lidova's dark blue lips before she focused her will for a second time and repeated the attack. The remaining stones gave way immediately, flying a short distance thought the air before falling and tumbling onto a paved path on the other side of the wall.

They had a way into the acropolis, but Lidova was not yet satisfied for the top section of the wall was still standing and would provide a place for the enemy to attack her forces as they crossed underneath. Her lips drawing back in a silent snarl, the Commander summoned her will yet again this time reaching up and pulling with her biotics as forcefully as possible at the stones still in place above the hole they had just created. They held for a moment, and then two of her Huntresses joined in with her, focusing their biotics on the upper section of wall to either side of where she was pulling upon the stones. Under their combined effort the remainder of the wall quickly gave way and the stones came tumbling down, creating a wide gap in the acropolis wall.

More alarmed shouts from the defenders greeted her action as they reacted to the breaching of their defensive wall. In the next moment, one of the stone blocks lying upon the ground lit up with biotic energy, levitated into the air, and then hurled toward Lidova. It was only reflex and hours upon hours of biotic practice that enabled the Serrice Huntress to react quickly enough to keep herself and her two companions standing next to her alive and unhurt. Almost instantaneously, a bluish-white haze sprang into existence around the muscular asari's body and the Commander thrust forward her hand in a quick snap, sending the biotic energy toward the heavy missile in a counter throw. As the fast moving globe encountered the stone just on the side of the wall nearest Lidova's group, it came to an abrupt halt as if slamming into an invisible wall and then fell to the ground. Staring warily through the opening, Lidova reminded herself not to underestimate the Messonian Huntresses again, basic pulls and throws could do quite a bit of damage when used properly...as had just been aptly demonstrated. No sooner had she thought that than an enemy Huntress, wreathed in the bluish energy of her barrier, appeared in the opening and paused to glare at them.

"Varvaros," the Huntress spat at them, calling them barbarous murderers, and with a start of surprise Lidova recognized the voice, Bazea Akoteas, the youngest daughter of Matriarch Jatemea.

Lidova frowned, "We did not want this conflict Huntress Bazea, but Thessia must be united against the Great Darkness or we will all perish. Any that surrender will not be harmed," the Commander offered with little hope that the maiden would accept.

"Great…" the maiden made a sound of anger, "The Great Darkness is just lie you've made up to justify forcing everyone to bow to Serrice…"

"No it is not," interrupted Lidova vehemently, "and if your Potinia had accepted our offer to escort her to the Shrine of the Prophecy the Matriarch would have seen the truth of it for herself."

"Lies," hissed Bazea, "you would have forced her to join your Alliance."

"No," snapped the Commander forcefully, "we would have not. She would have traveled with us under the sworn protection of the High Temple of Athame to the Shrine of the Prophecy and then been returned to Messonia safely."

Bazea Akoteas stood there for a moment longer, her glare unabated before turning and disappearing from their view. Lidova shook her head with a sigh, she had known that the maiden's anger would keep her from truly listening to her words, and could only hope that the rash young Huntress would make the choice to surrender before she was killed in the fighting.

Three hours later, as Lidova and her fellow Commanders had hoped, the defending Huntresses were beginning to falter as they became exhausted from the continuous use of their biotics without a sufficient chance to rest. Even as she observed the battle taking place around her another Messonian Huntress, completely exhausted and unable to even summon a barrier to protect herself, was surrounded by Lidova's forces, her weapons biotically pulled from her hands, and her surrender demanded. The medium blue complexioned maiden with red angular facial markings that identified her as belonging to the Akoteas Lineage stood defiantly for another moment before there was another exchange of words with Huntress Viesa Kurin who commanded the omada of thirty-two Huntresses surrounding her. The Commander could not hear what the matron was saying to the maiden, but finally the Akoteas Huntress knelt in surrender, bowing her head in submission as her shoulders slumped in her defeat. Lidova guessed that the more level-headed matron had reminded the younger asari that she could not continue to serve her Potinia in death; by surrendering, she would at least be returned to her Lineage when the battle was decided in favor of either the Alliance or Messonian forces.

At this point however, Lidova knew, the battle was all but decided in favor of the Alliance forces. The acropolis wall had been breached in multiple places and the majority of not only her forces, but also the forces of the other Commanders, were inside its walls. The Messonian forces had lost far more of their number, either through death, injury, or surrendering, than the Alliance forces, and that more than anything along with their general exhaustion of their biotics was tilting the tide of battle rapidly against the Messonian defenders.

The sound of alarmed, angry shouting drew Lidova's attention to her left where there was a large well landscaped park between several stone buildings. Her dark blue eyes widened in fear as she took in the scene, Ceyia T'Soni, her lover stood in front of her Huntresses facing down the Potinia of the Akoteas, Matriarch Jatemea whose body was intensely alight with the blue and purple hues of dark energy.

"Surrender Matriarch Jatemea," Lidova heard Ceyia shout to the Grand Matriarch of the Akoteas, "Not enough of your Huntresses remain to stop our advance, let no more of them who are sworn to your Lineage die today."

"The Akoteas will not kneel in submission to the varvaros of Serrice," the Matriarch declared confidently, her voice echoing from the surrounding buildings.

Without any more warning than that the Potinia of the Akoteas thrust her arms forward, sending a massive wave of biotic energy toward the T'Soni matron. A protesting cry left Lidova's lips as she began to sprint toward the scene even though she knew that she could not possibly get close enough to stop what was about to happen. The indigo hued energy slammed into Ceyia's barrier, and then to everyone's disbelief simply wrapped around the T'Soni matron's form and then with a thrust of Ceyia's hand was returned toward Matriarch Jatemea. The Grand Matriarch was completely unprepared for this to happen and as the dark energy slammed against the Matriarch's barriers the force of it caused them to fail. That opening was all the Alliance Huntresses needed, less than a second after four arrows sprouted from Matriarch Jatemea's body, two in her chest, one in her throat and the other cleanly through her head.

Lidova's frantic pace slowed to an abrupt halt and her dark blue eyes widened in surprise as she stared first at the unmoving body of the Potinia of the Akoteas and then turned her head to stare at her lover's still barrier sheathed form. Channel, which was the biotic skill that Ceyia had just used, allowed the user to manipulate almost any energy source directly, from dark energy to fire itself. The Priestess who had demonstrated it for her training group had stuck her hand in a torch fire and then directed the flame around her body and to her other hand where it flickered a few inches above her palm. Lidova knew that Ceyia had been learning how to channel from the Priestesses at the Temple, but had not known that the matron had become so skilled in its use that she could manipulate and redirect the sheer amount of dark energy with which the Matriarch had attacked her.

"Akoteas Huntresses," a commanding voice shouted across the park, "stand down and cease fighting. By my right as Matriarch Jatemea's successor to the title of Potinia of the Akoteas Lineage, I am declaring our surrender to the forces of the Alliance of the Prophecy." Even without any new orders, Commander Lidova's forces immediately went on the defensive, allowing any Akoteas Huntresses they had just been fighting to retreat from the conflict. As the fighting immediately around her came to a halt, Lidova moved forward toward where she had heard the voice.

There, the Commander's eyes tracked movement among the retreating defenders, Matriarch Aislea Akoteas, younger sister of Matriarch Jatemea and now apparently the Potinia of the Akoteas Lineage. As she realized that the Matriarch was headed toward the still body of her elder sister, the Commander slowed, a melancholic frown forming upon her lips, if only the Matriarch had accepted their offer…but she had not and her refusal had led to this unfortunate end. Hopefully the new Potinia of the Akoteas would be as receptive to listening to them with an open mind as she was to ending the conflict between them.

Lidova watched as Matriarch Aislea knelt next to her sister's body and then turned her gaze away as she saw the bitter grief upon the elder asari's face. Noticing that one of her Huntresses, Teilna Seus was waiting for her notice she motioned the young matron to approach. "Commander Zelina just sent word that Matriarch Pheella has also declared the surrender of the Morveas Lineage," Huntress Teilna informed her, "We have won." She glanced past the form of her commander and grimaced, the pride in her face and stance lessening at the sight of the grieving Matriarch.

Lidova nodded, feeling relieved at the news even though she knew that it heralded only a different set of difficulties and a great deal of work before they could return to Serrice. "Remain vigilant," she quietly warned the other Huntress, "the new Potinia of the Akoteas might have declared their surrender, but..."

"Mother!" the nearby grief filled cry interrupted the Commander causing her to turn away from her Huntress to look for its source. Bazea Akoteas, she immediately recognized the stricken maiden who had just thrown herself down to kneel by her mother's body. Lidova watched the maiden closely, this was exactly the situation she was concerned about, the possibility of grief and anger stirring one of the Messonians to attack despite the announced surrender.

Almost as if reading her thoughts Bazea looked up at that moment, "You!" she snarled at Lidova as she rose to her feet, her biotics coming alight around her body.

"Bazea!" Matriarch Aislea rose as well and took a step forward to intercept the maiden, "would you disobey your Potinia? Would you dishonor the Akoteas Lineage by breaking our sworn word of surrender?" The maiden actually made to step around her, "Do you deny that I am the rightful Potiniini of the Akoteas?" the Matriarch's body came alight with power and flared, forcing the young Huntress to stumble backward a few steps as it pushed against her barrier.

The dark energy around Huntress Bazea's body wisped away as quickly as it had formed at the question. "No Matriarch! You are the new Potinia," she looked down at her mother's body, "but…"

"I know," Matriarch Aislea's voice softened, "I miss her strength and wisdom as well Bazea, but we must think of our Lineage and those who follow our leadership. We can no long win this battle, do not dishonor us and bring yet more death and grief upon us with this rash action."

Finally the maiden bowed her head in obedience, "I will honor the surrender Potinia." As she lifted her head, her eyes fixed upon Lidova with no less rage and grief than before, making it clear to the tall matron that while the maiden would honor the surrender with the Alliance, she certainly would not so easily forgive them for the death of her mother.

Lidova waited until the day after the funeral for Matriarch Jatemea to approach the new Potinia of the Akoteas about the specifics of the Huntress exchange between Messonia and Serrice, Armali and Ulee. Cybean was not included in it at this time due to the amount of re-organization and training the city-state's Huntresses were currently undergoing in an effort to bring into line their forces better with the other Alliance members. A few days ago, Matriarch Aislea and Matriarch Pheella had not been pleased to hear that they would have to send one hundred of her surviving Huntresses to Serrice, nor to hear that in exchange five hundred Alliance Huntresses would remain to both bolster Messonia's defenses, but also to train the city-state's defenders. Not that the additional forces were not needed…they were, but emotions were still running high after the battle and the Matriarchs were rightfully concerned about their guest Huntresses' treatment after the majority of the Alliances forces had left Messonia.

Partially in response to their concerns and partially because this issue had already been raised and addresses by the Matriarchs of the Alliance, Lidova and the other Commanders had made a list of Messonian Huntresses they wanted included in that hundred would make neither Potinia pleased with them as it included matrons and maidens from both Lineages and every major family that owed them allegiance. The hope was that their inclusion should also make any Huntress who thought to break the truce hesitate, for the one hundred Messonian Huntresses good treatment rested upon the good treatment of those Alliance Huntresses left behind in Messonia.

"So our Huntresses will not be your guests but your hostages to guarantee the lives of those Huntresses left here and our continued honoring of the agreements made between us," observed Matriarch Pheella, her tone even but the slight narrowing of her eyes betraying her displeasure.

"For now they will be guests and hostages for both Serrice and for Messonia as loved ones were lost on both sides in the recent conflict," Lidova both acknowledged and corrected the Matriarch while keeping her tone completely respectful, "We are hopeful that after they return in five years such an arrangement will no longer be necessary."

"Indeed," Matriarch Aislea by contrast just sounded weary, "I see that Bazea is on this list. You are right that her inclusion will guarantee your Huntresses safety, but she is young and you are responsible for her mother's death." She closed her eyes for a moment and then offered, "There are others who would take her place and be as successful of a guarantee of your people's safety."

"There are," Lidova acknowledged the truth of the Matriarch's words, "but she perhaps above all of them needs to see the Temple for herself. To see that we are not varvaros, that we did not attack Messonia because we wanted your people to bow to Serrice as she has accused us, but because we must unite Thessia against the Great Darkness or none of our descendants will survive its return."

Matriarch Aislea's light blue eyes bore into Lidova's dark ones for a long moment, judging perhaps her depth of commitment to her belief before nodding, "Very well, perhaps you are correct. I will pray to Thalassa that you are and that her inclusion will not make the situation between us worsen. In any case, at least I will be with her until after the ceremony at the Temple of Athame."

Despite her aunt's attempts to help her move past her anger and grief, Bazea felt lost in them surrounded as she was by her mother's murderers. She didn't believe any of their tales of the Great Darkness as they strode in what seemed like endless miles north in their journey to Serrice. She didn't believe even as after a solid week of steady travel they finally joined what seemed like an endless stream of asari and massive carts piled high with goods pulled by teams of two or even four cervus headed toward Serrice upon a paved road four times wider than any she had ever seen before in her life. She managed to hold onto her disbelief and anger even as they passed underneath the four orgyia tall east gate of what was not even the acropolis wall of Serrice, but the outer wall of the massive city-state.

Bazea held onto her anger up until the point that they arrived at the Shrine of the Prophecy and both Matriarch Pheella and her aunt, Matriarch Aislea, were invited by the High Priestess of Athame, Matriarch Oressia, to attempt to enter the building upon their own. Matriarch Aislea contented herself with a simple push at the locked doors.

Matriarch Pheella, to Bazea's delight, was not so content to simply accept that the building was anything other than a hoax designed to mislead those easily lead by the lies of Serrice and their Temple of Athame. After seeing that the doors of the Shrine would not be opened with a simple physical push, Matriarch Pheella called upon her biotics, wreathing her form with dark energy to the point that it was difficult to look upon her and then directing all of it in a massive push against the door. Expecting to see the intricately carved doors of the oh so falsely sacred Shrine of the Prophecy destroyed by the Matriarch's attack, Bazea was instead stunned when they simply seemed to absorb the dark energy, remaining closed, whole and unharmed.

"None of us have been able to force open these doors," the High Priestess commented, apparently un-phased by the Matriarch's attack, "they seem entirely impervious to biotic energy of any type."

Matriarch Pheella stared at the High Priestess a brief moment before turning back to the doors and attempting to open them again with her biotics to the same result. The doors simply seemed to absorb the energy, pulling it into themselves instead of being affected by it. "How?" Bazea had never before heard the Potinia of the Morveas Lineage sound bewildered, but the Matriarch did now.

"I do not know," Matriarch Oressia replied, "the mysteries of the Shrine are beyond our ability to understand at this time." At this time, the words of the High Priestess caught Bazea's attention because it seemed as if the Matriarch was implying that understanding how the doors had resisted Matriarch Pheella's attack would not always be beyond them. "If you are satisfied that you cannot open them by force?" the High Priestess asked Matriarch Pheella.

The Potinia of the Morveas stared at the doors for a moment before admitting her defeat, "I am," she responded simply.

Along with the other Huntresses of Messonia selected as hostages for Serrice, Bazea watched in almost a daze as the High Priestess of Athame stepped forward and touched the doors lightly with just the fingertips of one hand. It seemed impossible that would be enough to open them given what she had just seen, but the doors swung silently open at the High Priestess's touch revealing the brightly lit interior of the Shrine.

A few minutes later, "Touch them," Bazea looked over to see the leader of the Alliance forces, "they will not burn you." She glared for a moment at Commander Lidova Saris, just to let the other asari know that she had not forgotten who was responsible for her mother's death and then tentatively reached out toward the oddly burning glass enclosed torch…only to feel nothing but coolness where she should have by all rights felt a burning heat.

"They do not burn, they have needed no fuel in all of the years since we discovered the Shrine," the Commander continued, apparently unaffected by her hostility. "None of the weapons we can make can even scratch these plaques," the tall matron continued indicating with a wave of her hand the inscribed massive metal plates inset into the walls of the building. The Commander's dark blue eyes met her own lighter ones, "We did not build this Huntress Bazea Akoteas, the Priestess of Athame Xanabr Ythos of the oldest Elder Race built it and left it for us to find along with the warning and guidance from the Goddess Athame to us." The elder Huntress's expression grew grim, "If our daughter's daughters are to survive, then we must fulfill the Goddess's prophecy, otherwise our entire race will perish as did the Elder Races."

For the first time Bazea's anger and grief over the loss of her mother was pierced by an instinctive fission of fear as she realized that the taller, muscular Huntress honestly believed what she was telling her. Believed that the Great Darkness was waiting in the Beyond to return and destroy them.


	6. Chapter 6: Serrice and Khurusa

Disclaimer: The Mass Effect universe is the property of Bioware/Electronic Arts. No infringement of these copyrights is intended as this is a not for profit fan fiction work.

Author's Notes: Huntress Zora M'Tara is based upon LuckyFK's picture titled "Confidence" on DeviantArt. The duero flower blue mentioned in this chapter is very close to what humans would call cornflower blue.

Revision History: 07/19/2015; 01/30/2016 (several hundred additional words added to the end)

* * *

 **Serrice and Khurusa**

Bazea, along with the other seven Huntresses in her peripolia, came to a halt as Senior Huntress Lira Sevos paused to let a heavily laden cart pulled by four tall, sturdy cervus to pass before crossing Arvala Way, the primary thoroughfare between the inland Eastern Gate and the seaward Western Gate which led to the docks upon Serrice Bay. Civilian foot traffic dressed in clothing dyed in all colors of the rainbow paused as well, though they gave the group of armored and armed Huntresses a respectful few feet of space to themselves. Bazea caught sight of one young child eyeing them intently from where she stood beside her mother; the maiden caught the young asari's gaze for a moment and received a shy smile which she briefly returned before refocusing her attention upon the Senior Huntress.

Her peripolia was almost at the end of their week long patrol around the border of Serrice, and had started out in the coolness of early dawn to reach the Southern Gate just after mid-day. They paused only long enough for a meal with the guards before proceeding into the massive city and now, almost two slow moving hours later, Bazea was more than ready to reach the barracks of the Forth Mora. The promise of a long cool shower and then relative softness of her bunk over a travel roll upon the ground drew her onward. They had begun their patrol in the mountainous region north of the city. It was difficult, hilly terrain for traveling, but the road ran through miles of forested land and thus was often shaded and cooler than the city. Beginning in the north however, meant that they finished their patrol south of the city. The great Aypiario Swamp was located far to the south of Serrice, but before you reached it you crossed miles of flat swampy marshland, which during the spring and summer was warm, humid and teeming with various winged, biting insects that, as far as the Messonian Huntress was concerned, seemed inordinately determined to taste her blood and were quite willing to burrow their way into her armor to get to it.

At least persistent insects were the only thing the patrol had run into instead of one of the several dangerous animals which dwelled within the marsh. The marsh sorat was one such creature, territorial and aggressive, the large reptile was both heavily-armored and biotically-resistant. An adult marsh sorat was approximately half an orgyia tall, or half as tall as an asari, and could grow to be well over two orgyia long. During the warmer parts of the year, the cold-blooded reptile was a very fast and deadly predator with long, needle-like teeth. If the patrol had detected signs of a marsh sorat near the roads they would have had to track the dangerous reptile down and kill it, for one of the primary duties of the patrols was ensuring that the trade roads in and around Serrice were safe for both merchants and citizens to travel. Guarding against bandits and thieves was their other primary duty, but since she had begun patrolling with the Forth Mora Bazea had fought against much fewer bandits than she had driven away or killed various dangerous animals encroaching too closely upon the roads or settled lands.

The maiden Huntress irritably shrugged her shoulders under her heavy leather armor as she waited for Senior Huntress Lira to motion them on; the first slow-moving cart had passed by, but there was another right behind it. In addition to fending off the persistent attacks from various insects for the past two days, today had grown to be unusually hot for springtime, adding to her general aggravation and discomfort and making the idea of a cool shower seem even more inviting. The leather armor with its riveted on metal plates might save her life in case of an attack, but that did not mean that it, along with the padding that went underneath it, was comfortable to wear during the warmer part of the year. At least the tall buildings on either side of the street kept it shaded and it felt cooler inside the thick city walls, despite the fact that it was early afternoon and in the hottest part of the day, than it had earlier outside them.

Finally, traffic along the Arvala Way cleared long enough for Senior Huntress Lira to motion them forward with a graceful movement of her gauntleted hand. Bazea stifled an impatient sigh; there were three more streets for them to cross which led to the docks and the heavy traffic here most likely meant that those three streets would also be congested with traffic. Her cool shower and nap in her comfortable bunk was farther away than she had hoped; not that she should be surprised the maiden reflected, Serrice was a very busy city compared to Messonia. She had thought her home city-state was large when she was younger, and it was compared to the other port settlements around the Galina Sea, but it was not that large when compared to the major port cities around the Ceripian Ocean.

Much had changed in the three years since Huntress Bazea Akoteas had arrived in Serrice as an angry and resentful hostage. Her presence, as well as the presence of ninety-nine other noble daughters of Messonia, ensuring the good treatment of the five hundred Alliance of the Prophecy Huntresses left behind to guard the newly conquered city-state and enforce the measures of the surrender between them. Initially, Bazea had been just as unwilling to believe the tales of the Shrine of the Prophecy as her mother, the former Potinia of the Akoteas Lineage. Matriarch Jatemea had angrily denounced the invitation of High Priestess of Athame, dismissing it as an obvious ruse to lure the Potiniini of Messonia from the safety of their acropolis walls so that they could be taken hostage against the surrender of the city-state. Seeing the equal numbers of Huntresses the Alliance of the Prophecy had fielded against them, Bazea's mother had believed that they could hold them off long enough for their supplies to run out and for the Huntresses still outside the acropolis walls to harry them into withdrawing.

What became quickly apparent as soon as the fighting began outside of the acropolis walls was that they had greatly underestimated the abilities of the Alliance Huntresses. The attackers utilized their biotics in devastatingly effective ways no Messonian Huntresses had seen before, tearing through their forces with ease and forcing them to retreat to the city acropolis far earlier than even the most pessimistic had anticipated. Bazea had thought the walls of the acropolis of Messonia were thick and tall and would protect them, but the unusually tall asari Huntresses of the Alliance, led by the tallest and most muscular asari the maiden had ever seen in her life, Commander Lidova, had used their biotics in previously unthought-of ways to literally tear apart the stone and wood and then rip the walls apart before Bazea's very eyes. Far from the days of conflict her mother had anticipated, the defenders of Messonia had only held out for six hours before the destruction of the acropolis walls and their losses compelled the surviving defenders to surrender.

Even after her mother's death and their defeat, Bazea had believed Commander Lidova's tales of the Shrine of the Prophecy to be only an artfully wrought lie designed to justify the powerful city-state's aggression and conquest of the weaker city-states surrounding it. She had held onto that belief until she had actually visited the Shrine of the Prophecy along with her aunt Matriarch Aislea, the new Potinia of the Akoteas, and Matriarch Pheella of the Morveas Lineage. What the maiden had witnessed there had finally persuaded her that the Alliance of the Prophecy truly believed that the Great Darkness would someday return from the Beyond and attack Thessia, and that the only way for the Asari to survive the attack was for them to fulfill the prophecy revealed upon the metal plaques within the Shrine. They must unite Thessia, ascend to the Heavens, find the other Younger Races and unite them under the leadership of the Asari, and then and only then with a truly unified force behind them would they be able to defeat the Great Darkness.

After three years of living, training, and yes, eventually even playing and sharing pleasure with the Huntresses of the Alliance, Bazea still wasn't certain if she believed the Prophecy or not, but she no longer held any doubt that the people of Serrice, Armali, Ulee and Cybean believed in it. Everywhere around her she saw evidence of how the asari of Serrice structured their entire society around fulfilling the Prophecy of Athame. Education was mandatory in the Alliance for every child, youth and young maiden: basic reading, writing, mathematics and science were taught along with training in both defensive and offensive biotic techniques and Tasia, a widely known martial art. When it came to acknowledging those that excelled, Bazea noticed that than the Matriarchs of Serrice praised academic skills no less than military skills among the young maidens, valuing both equally as necessary to fulfill the Prophecy.

As children grew into young maidenhood, classes in basic combat skills were added to their training, ensuring that every Alliance citizen had the fundamental skills necessary to serve in the military in case they were called to serve. If young maidens desired to become Huntresses, this was when they could first petition for admittance into one of the many Huntress Academies within or nearby the city. If they wished to study the sciences or mathematics, then young maidens could petition to join one of the many Scholastic Academies available to them. Bazea had trained hard to become a Huntress as a young maiden, but the young maidens of Serrice left their homes and went to live at the Academies, undergoing a focused learning experience that far outstripped the training she had received as a novice Huntress. Their devotion to training explained why the Alliance forces had so overwhelmed them, and meant that she and the other Huntresses from Messonia had spent their first two years undergoing hours of extra training in an effort to come closer to the skill level of the Alliance Huntresses before being fully integrated into their forces. Even after three years Bazea was still learning new biotic techniques. Besides continuing to perfect her basic throws and pulls, she was learning to master the warp, which had been used to such an effect against the acropolis walls of her city, and was learning how to create a singularity.

In the past few months, the maiden had privately questioned if she didn't believe in the Prophecy because she truly held doubts about the authenticity of the Shrine…or if the idea of the Prophecy being true was simply too overwhelming and frightening. Even more privately Bazea wondered if that hadn't been the real reason that her mother hadn't accepted the invitation of the High Priestess. She loved her mother, but she knew that the late Matriarch had not dealt well with any threat that she couldn't defeat in a direct fight, and the Great Darkness was something that not even all the Asari living today could hope to defeat together. The Prophecy of Athame made it clear that that not only would the battle take place several generations in the future, but that the Asari would need the other Younger Races fighting alongside them to have any hope of defeating the powerful enemy which had destroyed the Elder Races. Neither fact was something that Matriarch Jatemea would have accepted easily, and now Bazea had to wonder if her mother had died simply because she refused to consider that Commander Lidova was telling her the truth as the matron knew it.

During the past three years the Alliance of the Prophecy had persuaded, either though diplomacy or through a display of force, the smaller city-states and settlements bordering upon Messonia to join them. As a result, almost the Asari living on the northern part of the Galinea Sea closest to Serrice were now sworn to fulfilling the Prophecy of Athame. In two weeks approximately a fourth of the Forth Mora, specifically the lochos to which Bazea and the other Huntresses from Messonia were assigned, would be temporally attached to the Sixth Mora under Commander Lidova Saris. The combined Serrice forces would then travel to Armali, pick up a few more Huntresses from that city-state and then set sail for Koniosa, the largest of the Khurusan Islands. The Khurusan Islands were a long archipelago of seven islands located in the northwest Ceripian Ocean. They were inhabited by several tribes of asari nominally led by the descendants of a Follower of Lucen, Zemara M'Tara, a noted Huntresses and Araponia, or Mistress of the Seas. Bazea could only hope that meant that the asari living upon Konia would willingly join the Alliance instead of hopelessly fighting against them.

Three weeks later the Alliance forces left Armali in a massive flotilla of forty daumino, their way lit at first by only the brightness of the stars in the still dark sky and then by Kurinth as dawn approached. Daumino were ocean going sailing vessels whose oversized sails were manipulated by a skilled Araponia, or master navigator and mariner, to catch the slightest wind and send the ship surging forward across the waves. By the time the sun rose hours later, Bazea could not see anything but ocean all around them. The Messonian Huntress had gone for short sea voyages upon the Galinea Sea, but had never ventured as far as the Ceripian Ocean, and now she marveled as the hue of the waters around their swift moving vessel deepened into a dark blue as the depths beneath them grew. It was late afternoon when the lookouts stationed in the sails above sighted their destination. Almost an hour later everyone could just see the distinctive silhouette of Mount Koniosa, the dormant volcano which gave the island its name and an hour after that they were close enough to see the heavily forested slopes leading up to the volcano as well as the island's sandy shoreline. To the east, Bazea had heard, closer to the slopes of the volcano, there were beaches with sand that was black as night where the sea had pounded down the lava from the volcano's last eruption into fine grains.

As their ships drew close enough to shore for them to land a delegation of sixteen Huntresses, led by an elder matron, came out of the forest and waited upon the beach to greet them. Their appearance caused stir of curiosity among the Alliance Huntress onboard the ship due to the fact that they wore only loincloths to cover their nakedness instead of thick heavy armor. Necklaces dangling with stone and bone beads as well as bits of colorful shell adorned their necks while their wrists and ankles were adorned with similarly decorative bracelets. Despite their lack of armor, the sixteen asari assembled to greet them were as fit and muscular as any Alliance Huntress and carried themselves like capable warriors. They all bore wicked looking spears with hooked points on the end which seemed as if they could be used both for spear fishing and as a weapon and reminded Bazea of the Huntresses of the fishing tribes around the Galinea Sea whose ability to hunt their prey both above and underneath the waves was well known and respected. Several of the island Huntresses were noticeably as tall the average Serrican Huntress and Bazea was not surprised to note that those Huntresses all bore the white facial and body paint denoting that they belonged to the M'Tara Lineage. From what she had noticed, and was tacitly acknowledged among the Lineages of the Alliance as a gift of the Elder Race Priestesses, all of those asari descended directly from the original Followers of Athame and her Guides were taller and physically stronger than other asari, and their biotics were more powerful as well.

"I am Huntress Kaela M'Kive, in the name of our Matriarch, Nuilu M'Tara, I greet you travelers," the dark blue complexioned matron said formally as Commander Lidova and her guard approached the small group of island Huntresses, "and inquire as to your purpose for traveling across the waters to these shores."

The tall, muscular Huntresses, who was taller by far than any of those around her, bowed her head, "I am Commander Lidova Saris of the Alliance of the Prophecy of Athame, in the name of the High Priestess of Athame, Matriarch Oressia Ateos, I return your greeting Huntress Kaela M'Kive. As for my purpose here, I bear a message from the High Priestess of Athame to Matriarch Nuilu of the M'Tara Lineage."

Huntress Kaela inclined her head, "We welcome the messenger of the High Priestess of Athame. If you will follow us, we will take you to the Matriarch so that you may deliver your message to her." The matron turned her attention to the flotilla slowly unloading upon the shore, "There is a wide clearing," she turned and pointed toward the forest behind her, "a short distance in that direction with a stream along the eastern side which will provide fresh water for you. Your Huntresses may set up their camp there, though I hope you brought enough provisions with you for them for we cannot feed such a number."

Commander Lidova nodded even as she glanced uncertainly in the direction the other Huntress had indicated where the forest appeared almost impenetrable with lush undergrowth. "We have brought enough supplies with us for two weeks though we are not anticipating remaining with you for that length of time."

"Huntress Kaela," one of the younger Huntresses, who was almost as tall as Saris, volunteered, "If I may remain behind I will guide our guests to where they may set up camp."

Bazea, as she passed by burdened with a large sack of supplies perched upon her shoulder, glanced over curiously at the group upon hearing the tall maiden's pleasantly deep voice and found her attention caught by the attractive facial features and unusual complexion of the other maiden. Dark purple mottled markings were scattered across the lighter lavender blue skin of the island Huntress. The markings were especially dense and larger across the skin of the other asari's crest and face, forming almost a secondary set of facial paint in addition to the white lines upon the maiden's face, along the length of each crest frond, and down the maiden's torso which identified the maiden as a member of the of the M'Tara Lineage. The dark purple markings, though smaller in size than those on the maiden's face, were also present upon her muscular shoulders, the skin of her lavender blue arms and scattered along the long length of her legs. From what Bazea could see, the islander maiden's entire body was marked with them, for the leather loincloth and beaded necklaces hanging down to just above and in between the island Huntress's bared breasts left little to the imagination.

"Bazea," the annoyed voice of her friend Huntress Veyoste Danteas, a fellow Messonian, from directly behind her brought her back to awareness of her surroundings and the fact that she had actually stopped walking as she stared at the unusually marked maiden. Just then the purple eyed gaze of the island Huntress drifted her direction, their eyes met for second and then the other maiden's lips curved in a slightly challenging smirk as she was caught blatantly staring.

The Messonian maiden huffed in mingled annoyed and intrigued exasperation as she started walking up the beach once again. "Sorry," she quietly apologized to Veyoste before glancing once again toward the interestingly marked M'Tara maiden just in time to hear Huntress Kaela mention the younger island Huntress's name, Zora M'Tara, and for Commander Lidova politely accept the maiden's offer.

The other Messonian Huntress, who had skin a slightly darker shade that Bazea's own duero flower blue, laughed softly as she moved up and came close enough to whisper, "She is striking with those natural dark purple markings isn't she; I suspect you're going to have some competition in persuading her to share pleasures with you." Bazea frowned a bit at that as she glanced down in annoyance at the sand underfoot, farther up it was dry and shifted underneath her with each step making her footing difficult as she balanced the heavy sack on her shoulder. "At least she's still looking at you. That's hopeful."

Bazea almost turned around to look, but caught herself at the last moment; she didn't want to appear desperate for the attention. "She is?" she inquired quietly instead.

"Well she was," her friend confirmed, amusement clear in her voice, "I can't tell if she is now without turning around."

"No," Bazea hissed as she slowed down to come even with her friend and then cursed under her breath as the shifting sand underneath her booted feet made it difficult to keep her balance. "I'll try and talk with her later when we have set up camp," she commented in a more normal tone as they finally stepped into the shade of the forest line and found firmer footing as the sand beach gave way to sandy soil.

Two hours later, the Messonian Huntress finally had time to take a break from the various tasks associated with setting up camp and look around for Huntress Zora M'Tara, the interesting maiden who had led them to this clearing. It was actually not difficult to get to for there was a path in the forest leading here from the beach; they had just been unable to see it from where they had landed. To make unloading easier several of the vessels had rowed back out to deeper water and then come back into shore next to the pathway. It didn't take long for her grayish-blue eyes to locate the islander with the intriguing dark purple markings scattered across her skin for Huntress Zora was speaking in a rather animated fashion with both Commander Saris, who had obviously returned from her meeting with Matriarch Nuilu M'Tara, and the commander of Bazea's Mora, the Forth Mora of Serrice, Commander Jeis Kurin. The Messonia Huntress was too far away to hear what the maiden and two matrons were discussing, but whatever it was involved the beach…or ocean for Huntress Zora gestured repeatedly in that direction.

Not wanting to intrude on their conversation or to draw Commander Saris's attention to her Bazea walked over to the forest line where the trees cast a welcome deep shade and she could escape from the heat of the midday sun. Even though she knew that the muscular Huntress truly believed in the Prophecy of Athame and the necessity of the Asari to unite under one government, she still resented Saris's role in the death of her mother. Pensively, Bazea stared into the shaded depths of the forest. She was pleased that the islanders had peacefully accepted the High Priestess's invitation to join the Alliance instead of fighting - and dying - against them, that was not in doubt, still though she couldn't help but be reminded of how her own people had chosen to fight and had died at the hands of the same Huntresses whom she now trained and lived beside in peace. Bazea shook her head; she was tired of revisiting this in her head and didn't really want to think about it right now.

"You are from Messonia," the relatively deep voice, though she had heard it only briefly hours before, was familiar and Bazea turned around in surprise to see the very Huntress whom she had been hoping to meet.

"Huntress Zora," she acknowledged the islander maiden with the natural dark purple markings, her tone betraying her surprise, "Yes I am, Huntress Bazea Akoteas." She inclined her head in respectful greeting, "I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak with you," she admitted frankly, seeing no reason to hide that fact. Now that they were closer Bazea could tell that the other maiden was near her age of nearly three centuries or perhaps a few decades older.

Zora gave her a warm smile in return, "And I you as well. Commander Lidova spoke of the Huntress exchange program between the city-states of the Alliance. It sounded interesting, but I wanted to get your opinion before volunteering." Bazea couldn't help but frown as she heard the reason for the other Huntress wanting to speak with her, but then the attractive maiden stepped much closer, her expression softening. Zora reached out to touch her shoulder before continuing, "Even though I am saddened to know the circumstances surrounding your being here and of you and your people's loss."

Between the sympathetic expression and the light pressure of the taller maiden's hand upon her shoulder, the Messonian Huntress's displeasure vanished between one breath and the next. "Thank you," Bazea responded after a moment, "I wish," she paused, sighed and then gestured toward the camp with one hand, "that my reasons for being here were different...less painful...but they are not," she finished with finality and a touch of determination. Somewhat changing the subject she continued, "To answer your question, I have enjoyed visiting Serrice and training with the Alliance Huntresses. Given that we began by trying to kill one another," she stared pensively at the activity in the camp, "they have treated me and my fellow Huntresses from Messonia with kindness and from my Potenia's messages to me the Alliance Huntresses left in the city have been treated well in return. Though there is still lingering anger and resentment over those killed, our people are impressed with their contributions to rebuilding the city and improving upon its defenses. Most have now accepted that we now are part of the Alliance of the Prophecy..." she paused contemplatively thinking about her aunt's most recent messages, "and see the benefits it is bringing us in the sharing of knowledge and increased trade."

Zora nodded even as she lightly squeezed Bazea's shoulder underneath her hand and then released her, her hand stroking lightly down the Messonian Huntress's arm before dropping back to her side; an act that filled Bazea with hope that the other maiden found her as attractive as she found the islander. "Beyond our shared heritage as descendants of the Followers of Athame, Matriarch Nuilu has much the same reasons to accept the High Priestess's offer of Alliance," the island Huntress commented. Lavender eyes met light blue, "And there is another reason, before she left us, Guide Lucen…or rather Priest Yvtl Mavir," Zora corrected herself with a brief frown, "urged my ancestress, Huntress Zemara, to never forget his teachings and to pass on what she had learned to her children for one day the Asari would need us to guide them through more than just Ocean…they would need us to guide them through the Heavens themselves to defend Thessia against a great enemy."

Bazea stared at the other Huntress in stunned surprise, her thoughts immediately going to the wording of the Prophecy of Athame. "Follower Zemara knew of the Prophecy," she asked, "before the Shrine was located?"

The other maiden immediately shook her head, "Not of the Prophecy or of the Shrine, but she knew that there was a threat somewhere to the Asari people and that the skills that Priest Yvtl taught her would be needed by her descendants to defeat it."

Bazea nodded thoughtfully, "So Priest Yvtl gave her forewarning ahead of the discovery of the Shrine." Her eyes narrowed as she shifted her gaze toward the tents that formed the camp of the Alliance Huntresses, her eyes seeking out one tent in particular which housed Commander Lidova and her new bondmate Senior Huntress Ceiya T'Soni. "I wonder if Priestess Xanabr, Athame, gave a similar warning to Huntress Pania T'Soni, for I have heard that the T'Soni Lineage is unusually skilled in biotic techniques."

Zora followed her gaze, "It is possible," she allowed, "I know that Priest Yvtl's warning is why my ancestress Zemara came to Koniosa. Here we cannot hug the coastline for guidance and safety as the ships that travel between Serrice and Armali do, but we must be able to navigate by our knowledge of the ocean currents, sun, the behaviors of the ocean animals, and of course the stars to guide us from the islands to the mainland." The islander maiden waved one hand toward the path that lead to the nearby beach, "Water surrounds us, we must learn to live with and respect it for not only its beauty and bounty, but also for its merciless deadliness should we forget its raw might and power."

The Messonian Huntress nodded in understanding; she had heard much the same from the seafarers who plied the waters of the Galinea Sea. They loved the waters as much as they warily respected them, for what gave forth so much bounty could quickly take everything into its depths as well. "So," she returned to the other maiden's question, "did I answer your question about the exchange program? I'm sure Commander Lidova and the others went over the specifics of how long and an outline of what you would be doing for the first few months. Did she mention what city-state or mora you would be sent to if you did volunteer?"

The interestingly marked islander maiden's dark blue lips curved upward in a full smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes, "Yes, you did, thank you; and we would have our choice of what city-state we went to for the exchange. In the case we choose Serrice, we would join the Fourth Mora."

Though certainly pleased by the idea of Zora joining her mora, Bazea was surprised that the Fourth would receive another group of exchange Huntresses instead of them going to one of Serrice's six other mora. Upon further consideration however, she thought she understood the reasoning behind it. The Commander and Senior Huntresses of the Fourth already had experience with evaluating Huntresses who were not as advanced in either military skills or biotic skills as their normal recruits from Serrice's many Huntress Academies. They had already worked out methods of training with her and her fellow Messonian Huntresses to the point where they were sufficiently skilled enough to serve alongside the other Huntresses of the Fourth. Therefore, they were actually the mora best suited to evaluate and train the Huntresses from Khurusa, who also did not have Huntress Academies, and would likely be at a similar beginning skill level.

Bazea nodded her head, a thoughtful expression upon her face as she shared her thoughts, "That makes sense, the Fourth has the most experience with integrating non-Alliance trained Huntresses." She lifted her head and gazed directly at the maiden whose lavender skin was marked with darker purple until the other asari's lavender eyes met her own darker blue ones. Bazea smiled, letting her personal interest show in the tenor of her gaze, "If you do choose Serrice, I know you and your fellow Huntresses will be warmly welcomed by those of us from Messonia."

Zora's smile widened, "And by almost every other Huntress in the Fourth and Sixth if the looks we are getting are any indication," she commented with clear amusement.

The Messonian inclined her head in agreement. It was quite true; Zora and the other islander Huntresses that came into the camp were all subjects of intrigued interest. Considering the sheer amount of competition for Zora's companionship, Bazea was pleased that Zora had taken notice of her over all the other Alliance Huntresses. Given that the intriguingly marked maiden had sought her out instead of one of the many others openly seeking the islander's company, Zora apparently returned the Messonian's interest.

Deciding to act upon that apparent interest; Bazea stepped daringly closer to the other maiden, close enough that she could just sense the islander's aura. Her eyes closed for a moment as she focused upon what she felt from the other maiden - strength, discipline, calmness - intriguing and... very pleasant against her own aura. A matron would sense this from farther away, a matriarch even farther still, but she was a maiden and had to get almost within arm's reach to feel another's aura. Bazea opened her eyes; Zora had not shifted or moved away from her, that was both a relief and pleasure and she suspected that the islander had taken a moment to similarly sense her aura in return. "I'm interested in finding out how your training differs from how I was taught in Messonia," it was a change of subject, but having made her move and not been rejected, Bazea was now more interested in getting to know more about the other maiden.

"Quite a bit differently I'm sure," Zora said with a chuckle of amusement as she gazed down at the shorter maiden now standing almost beside her, "we are trained to use not only our spears and bows, but also the natural weapons that surround us such as water and sand."

"Really?" Bazea inquired, intrigued by the concept, "How exactly…?"

The islander jerked her head toward the shore. "If you want a demonstration," she offered, "I'd be pleased to show you."

"Yes I would," Bazea quickly accepted, "I just need to let Senior Huntress Lira know where I'm going and about for how long." Upon seeing the slight nod and understanding look from Zora, the Messonian immediately set off, hoping that the Senior Huntress would still be at the place she had seen her last, sitting reading beside her tent.

"Let her know it will be for a few hours," she heard Zora call out from behind her before she had taken more than a few steps, "I'd like to show you around some of the island afterward. There are some exceptionally beautiful places I'd like to share with you...which also happen to be very secluded and private."

Bazea's forward motion came to an abrupt halt as she stopped, twisted, and looked behind her, locking gazes with the other maiden. The islander's lavender eyed gaze held an intent directness which made very clear the other maiden's intent and Bazea couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation at the prospect. "I look forward to you showing me them, and am honored that you would share them," she left silent the 'and you' just in case she was being overly optimistic, "with me."

Zora slowly shook her head, "Do not underestimate yourself Bazea...there is something about you, a fierceness of spirit that I find very appealing. If you are honored, then I am as well at the prospect of your company."

A fierceness of spirit...upon hearing the reason for Zora's interest in her, the Messonian Huntress was both pleased and flattered by the complement. She smiled, her blue eyes lighting up with her pleasure, "Thank you, give me a moment to find the Senior Huntress and I'll be right back." Her footsteps light and swift, the maiden made her way through the maze of tents to the group of eight tents belonging to her peripolia. To her relief her immediate superior, Senior Huntress Lira, was still sitting on a camp stool just outside her tent reading a book containing the writings of the late Matriarch Valthya Iessaos, a noted tactician and strategist of Serrice.

Bazea eyed it curiously, bound books were not new, but until a year ago they had all been hand written and very rare, never to be taken out of the house library. The book Lira was reading was one of the new books which was printed using ink and lines of small stamping blocks to form the letters, and thus could be produced in great numbers compared to hand written ones. The inspiration for it came from one of the High Priestesses at the Temple Scholastic Academy, one of the largest scholastic academies within Serrice, who lamented that there was not a way to make books widely available for teaching and training. It had taken a few years for the idea to bear fruit, but just a year ago the Academy had developed a method of using very small stamping blocks inset in rows upon a plate. Printed books were still rare and expensive, but not as nearly rare or expensive as hand written ones and from what Bazea had heard they were expected to become commonplace in the next few decades as the invention made its way around the Alliance and more printing presses were made and distributed to the city-states.

"Senior Huntress," Bazea addressed her as soon as the matron looked up from her book, "Huntress Zora M'Tara has requested my company for a demonstration of biotic techniques and then offered to show me around the island, would it be alright for me to be absent from the camp for a few hours?" As far as she knew their peripolia hadn't been assigned any duties for the afternoon, so she was hopeful that the Senior Huntress would grant her request.

"Show you around the island," Lira echoed, giving the maiden a knowing look as an amused smirk curved her lips. She remained silent for what seemed like a worryingly long moment to Bazea before finally giving her permission, "Yes, you may accompany her so long as you come back by dusk. We will probably be assigned one of the guard rotations for tonight so you need to get some _rest_ before then," the matron said with a meaningful emphasis on the word.

The Messonian Huntress grinned in response, "I will make sure I am back by dusk." A few minutes later, she joined Zora and they began heading toward the pathway that lead to the beach. Bazea feeling rather smug at the envious looks she had received when it became clear she was leaving with the beautiful and intriguingly marked islander.

"You've been taught to constantly evaluate your surroundings so that you know what can be lifted and thrown as a weapon in case of attack?" Zora queried when they reached the edge of the forest and could see the beach.

"Yes," Bazea nodded toward a fallen log a few feet away from them, "I could use that and," she gave an uncertain look toward the sandy beach, "apparently the sand as well? Would that be used as a diversion and to blind the enemy?"

The islander Huntress inclined her head, "It is very effective as a diversion and to blind your enemies…it is also very effective and deadly as a weapon in its own right." Zora's body lit up with bluish-white energy and she waved her hand using her biotics to lift some of the nearby sand into the air. The islander made a pulling gesture with her hand, causing the sand to form into a globe as it floated over to them.

As Bazea watched curiously, an intense expression of concentration formed on the islanders face and then with a precise motion of her hands Zora shaped the sand into a narrow stream and directed it toward the fallen log. Bazea watched in shock as the accelerated stream of sand stripped away the log's bark in mere seconds and then started boring into the wood. She could easily imagine how it could strip though her leather armor just as quickly.

"That is the way to use sand as a weapon," Zora commented as she ran through the last of the sand. "We also use it to simply shape both wood and stone," she motioned toward the log, "or just smooth out planks in moments. Stone is harder and takes longer, but even it can be carved thus with a swift stream of sand and some patience."

Bazea's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she crossed over to the log and bent down to brush her hand over the carved out section. The exposed wood was smooth to the touch as it had quite literally been sanded down, she could see how that would be very useful indeed and resolved to mention it in her next letter to her Aunt. "Yes, I can see how useful it would be," she commented as she rose and turned back to Zora, "how do you accelerate the sand like that? It's so small."

Almost thirty minutes later Bazea was able to almost copy the effect that the other Huntress was demonstrating to her, more to the point she was certain that with more practice she would be able to duplicate it. At its core, it was another form of throw. Only the objects she was throwing were tiny grains instead of logs or rocks, thus the biotic field needed to be a difficult combination of smaller and more powerful. Bazea was confident her biotics were strong enough, she just needed to hone the mental discipline required to create the proper effect.

"You've got the technique you just need to practice more," Zora echoed her thoughts as the taller maiden examined the shallow depression in the log that Bazea had just created with her latest effort. This time she had managed to bore through the bark and into the wood itself, unlike her previous attempts. She turned around and gave the Messonian an approving look, "That didn't take you very long at all to learn," the islander complemented Bazea. "I was honestly expecting it to take longer to teach you," Zora admitted, obviously pleased at having been proven wrong in her assumption.

Bazea chuckled a bit ruefully, "I've learned quite a few new biotic techniques these past few years. I guess I've gotten better…and quicker at it." She looked up at the taller maiden, "So water?"

"Yes!" Zora commented turning toward the beach and setting out toward the shoreline. She stopped knee deep in the water while Bazea, not wanting to get her boots wet again, stopped just short of the waterline. "Water can be used in many ways; we use it to primarily capsize enemy ships." The islander maiden's body lit with energy as she lifted her hands, raising an impressive wall of water taller than she in front of her and then thrust her arms forward, sending the wall of water crashing down against an imaginary enemy. "It can also be lifted and hurled like anything else," Zora lifted one hand, raising a large globule of water and then sending it in a soaring arch to splash several feet away with a wave of her arm. This Bazea did not need any instruction for, she knew how the islander had done what she did…she had just never before considered using water as a possible weapon.

"So, would you like to see more of the island?" Zora walked out of the water toward her, her hips taking on a slight extra sway that immediately caught the Messonian's full attention. "You must be hot in that armor; I know of a freshwater stream deep enough to swim in not very far from here."

Blue eyes met lavender, "That does sound very inviting," Bazea allowed as the islander came up to her. Zora smiled, reached down and grasp her hand before stepping away and pulling her along behind her. They reached the stream less than fifteen or so minutes later and then followed it inland until they reached a grassy clearing. Bazea smiled as she saw it, it was beautiful and the clear water with its sandy bottom looked refreshingly cool. As she began stripping out of her armor, the Messonian had only a moment to note that Zora's darker purple markings did indeed cover her entire body as the islander removed her loincloth and necklaces before slipping into the water.

The two of them swam in the stream for quite some time, brushing teasingly against one another as they dove and played in the water. Eventually they decided to leave the water to both dry off and warm up by lying upon the grass of the sunlit clearing. One inviting glance from Bazea was all it took for Zora to shift from lying beside the Messonian to kneeling above her and then the islander's body was a pleasingly warm weight upon her, pressing her down against the soft grass. She pulled Zora closer as their lips met in a passionate kiss, lips parting to allow a deeper exploration. Moments later Bazea's hand began a stroking exploration of the islanders back, enjoying the smoothness of the other maiden's lavender skin and the feel of taunt muscles underneath and then wandered upward to gently stroke the sensitive folds along Zora's neck and the back of her scalp.

It wasn't long before her own need and the rising scent of her new lover's arousal had Bazea parting her thighs to allow Zora to lie in between them. She groaned in pleasure as she felt the other maiden press intimately against her and felt how swollen, firm, and slick with arousal was other maiden's kunaja. Wanting to experience what Zora felt Bazea reached out, her eyes darkening as initiated a light meld and waited for the other maiden to respond to her invitation. The islander immediately accepted, allowing their minds to brush lightly against one another, sharing a hint of both their physical pleasure and their emotions.

As the meld deepened became more intimate, Zora angled her hips and pressed down more firmly against Bazea so that there was increased contact between them, then she began moving her hips in a tightly controlled slow, steady rhythm. First up to the fore of the kunaja where the sensations were most exquisite as the swollen flesh was very sensitive there, and then all the way down to where the swollen tissues parted to either side of the birth canal opening in one arousal slickened motion and then back again to repeat the motion. It felt wonderful to both maidens, especially with each mirroring the sensations they felt to other in the meld, doubling the pleasure experienced by both.

The mingled scent of their arousal was now very noticeable upon the nearly still air within the sheltered clearing. Bazea drew in a long, deep breath, drawing in the deep and rich aroma which marked them with each other's scent and told a silent tale of the intensity of their shared pleasure both to themselves and to any other nearby asari. Through the meld she felt Zora do the same; and then the other maiden's lips pressed urgently against her own, parting them and demanding entry, even as the meld between them abruptly strengthened in both depth and intensity. Inflamed by the scent of their mutual pleasure, the islander maiden pushed into her mind, forcefully, commandingly - certainly not seeking to hurt, for even with the forcefulness there was gentleness and protective reassurance, but definitely seeking to dominate the connection between them and take control of the meld - if Bazea permitted it.

Unfortunately for them both, as the Messonian maiden had heard that such a meld was an intense and deeply pleasurable experience for both partners, Bazea knew she was no _akertira_ to let Zora become the _akero_ in their mutual pleasuring. It was not in her to yield and submit to the taller maiden so that Zora could flow through her and lead them in the dance of pleasure; consequently, the Messonian maiden pushed back, not to end the meld between them, but to firmly define what was without, where Zora was welcome, and what was still within and her own space only. For a few seconds their minds strove against one another, testing each other's mental strength and resolve before Bazea felt the dominance pressure against her own mind lighten as Zora accepted that she would not yield to her. They would be equals in this, not leader and follower.

The islander maiden's hips, which had stilled during their mental struggle, resumed their steady motion with the resolution of it. Bazea let out a muted sound of pleasure at the feel of it, the steady perfect pressure through the entire stroke, firm enough to create a delicious friction yet not too firm, through enough for her to savor the difference in how the intimate contact felt at the head of her kunaja to the very root of it. Zora was obviously well experienced in the art of pleasuring and the Messonian maiden was well pleased…meant in every way…to be the beneficiary of the islander's expertise.

Bazea did make it back to camp before dusk…barely.


End file.
